


Burn the Witch

by lydiaofthefallen



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Adult Losers Club (IT), Cute, F/M, Fix-It, Follows Movie Plots, Happy Ending, Jim "Chief" Hopper Lives, Light Angst, Losers Club (IT) Friendship, M/M, Pennywise (IT) is His Own Warning, Stanley Uris Has OCD, Stanley Uris Lives, Stranger Things Crossover (not main plot), Swearing, Teenage Losers Club (IT), The Losers Club (IT) Love Each Other, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:08:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 78,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21948580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiaofthefallen/pseuds/lydiaofthefallen
Summary: "Everyone thinks we're a fairytale. But they're wrong. There's always been witches in the world. There's magic all around us. And magic users can harness it, and do things you'd only imagine in your wildest dreams. It's a life I'd never trade... but witches aren't the only myths that are real."Stan was listening, understanding, and that's what I needed. He asked, "What else is real?""Fairies, demons, nymphs, mermaids-""Vampires?"I laughed, the first real laugh since the Losers Club split, "No. No vampires or werewolves. And the clown, he's something else entirely. I've never seen anything like him before. An Eldritch who likes illusions.""What did you see?" He was referring to my fear. I could tell him now, he knew everything."Our history. What they did to the people they suspected knew magic. They... you, screamed at me.""What did we scream?"My answer came out in a whisper. I could still hear it. It was burned into my brain, constantly replaying in my ears, "Burn the witch."
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Stanley Uris/Reader
Comments: 16
Kudos: 65





	1. Witches

**Author's Note:**

> A general overview of magic society in case you ever get confused within the story. Most of this will be explained in the prologue, but this will be super clear about what's going on.
> 
> Rules:
> 
> #1 - All battle witchcraft must be used in defense. A respectable magic user would never make the first move.
> 
> #2 - Your ability is dependent on your hands. There are no wands or Latin spells in this magic society. The flick of a wrist, the twitch of a finger, all of it is crucial.
> 
> a) Certain adaptations of spells require an incantation in order to differentiate it from the original. This can often be muttered in the user's native tongue
> 
> b) Sharper hand movements are used for battle spells, while gentler movements are used for "casual" spells
> 
> #3 - Magic users can't share the secret of the magic world with normal humans- exceptions are made for life partners.
> 
> #4 - You are not to use magic in public unless you are sure no one will suspect you. Spells made in public must be discreet, and natural seeming.
> 
> #5 - Balance. What is given will be taken. What is taken must be given.
> 
> General Society: The magic society is generally spread out for their own safety to avoid an incident like Salem from happening ever again. Every major city in every state in the United States must have a "council" which is like a smaller government. There is a High Council, which is similar to the Executive Branch that handles the largest affairs. Aside from that, witches are solitary being, they are fine with making their own path in life.
> 
> How Magic Works: There obviously isn't a scientific explanation for how magic works. Magic users attain it to a "universal glitch", where thousands of people around the world were gifted the ability, and it was passed onto their children, and their children, and so on. Being in strong magic bloodlines can make the magic user stronger, but magic will appear in a child no matter how diluted. Magic knows little to no bounds. From small luck charms to killing hexes. It's up to the High Council and the magic user's family to keep the user on the proper path. The spells the user can cast is dependent on what they learn, which is dependent on what the family can teach them and the grimoire they create. The more they know, the more they're capable of. Spells do take energy though, the bigger the spell, the more fatigued you are- though this isn't a major handicap in most cases. The one thing: no bringing back from the dead. It screws up the balance so much that it's impossible. End. Of. Story.
> 
> The Talbot Family: The Talbot family is one of the world's most ancient family's, dated back to Biblical times. Because of such an ancient bloodline, they got around. From Hawaii to the tip of Africa. Such an occurrence allowed the family to absorb several different magic traditions into their bloodline, further purifying their power. Eventually, due to several different circumstances (witch hunts, famine, war, disease) the Talbot family came down to only a few lines spread around. One in the United States, one in Europe, and one in Africa.
> 
> I hope this will help you out in the future. I know having all this down will keep me in line when I'm writing about magic users. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask me! Another quick note: because Strangers Things and IT are meant to overlap, I'll be messing around with the timeline. So Stranger Things season 1 will happen in 1984, soon after the Reader moves at the beginning of the school year. Then IT will take place in 1985, season 2 of Stranger Things, snippets from IT 2 (from 1985-86), Stranger Things season 3 in 86, then so on.
> 
> As always, a disclaimer that I do not own any of the direct storyline, characters, music, so on from either IT or Stranger Things. Any original storylines/chapters within this book are completely my own and any similarity to another is pure coincidence.
> 
> A playlist for this story is on my Spotify, lydigrace9
> 
> Enjoy the story!

_"Unruly women are always witches no matter what century we're bor_ _n in" (Roxanne Gay)_

🔮

**Prologue - Witches**

🔮 **  
**

According to the general public, witches are one of a few possible options. They're old hags who love causing problems for no reason- casting evil spells and cackling over boiling cauldrons, or they're misunderstood healers from history, women who were falsely accused of witchcraft when in reality they were using modern medicinal methods on their patients. New World witches became women who believed in their own power, who took back the bodies and mentalities. Some worshipped crystals and herbs, muttering little spells and praising goddesses of the Earth.

All of the ideas were partially right in their own way. Real witches, real magic users in general, were a combination of all those things. They did cast spells and used cauldrons on occasion, but for batches of soup for their families. Magic users _can_ heal, and they were often found to be a witch because of their abilities- but it wasn't modern medicine they were using. Most witches were proud of themselves, their bodies, and their mentalities, but they didn't depend solely on herbs and crystals for their powers. Those were a New World mage thing. For people who wanted a taste of true magic, but could never have it in their veins.

But more than anything, family was the most important thing to a magic user.

At least for their formative years. Not because of some moral or blood obligation to family, but because they were how they gained power. Every generation passed on their knowledge to the next. It was like teaching your kids how to bake. It was more than an obligation; it was family bonding- just a little stranger than your average family outing.

Then, just like a child moving out, one day, we'd be trusted to learn on our own. Children of magic users were expected to continue their learning on their own when they turned fifteen. By that point, they would hopefully have a basic knowledge of all witchcraft and could continue their studies into what they wanted. That usually happened when the witch or sorcerer created their own magic or dug some up at an old library.

I didn't want to think about the day I would be on my own, because I enjoyed learning from my family more than anything. Even if they could be frightening.

"You see that? It was only a partial change before shifting back. You must be more tight with your hand motions. Try again."

Nodding dutifully, I stared down the book in front of me as I mimicked the motions shown. I wasn't about to mess up for a second time. Not in front of my grandma. She was a strict teacher, but I liked that about her. She taught me spells that other witch covens had never even heard of- that even _they_ would consider fantasy. Because we were one of the oldest families in the book; the Talbots - a culmination of witchcraft, Wicca, Hoodoo, Vudoo, Celtic Wicca, Sangoma, Kalku, Kulam, and so much more - who prided themselves on being a part of every magic culture.

Grinning, I watched as the cup next to me shifted back into a sleek calico cat. She growled in discomfort, but landed lightly on the floor and moved to stand next to my grandma. Nodding in approval, my grandma flipped to another page, and we began again.

Witchcraft was our way of life. The kind you saw in movies and laughed at for being too unrealistic. The spells that were all "bad CGI" and "special lighting". The best way to hide? In plain sight, especially for witches in Hollywood who constantly stared in movies that pushed the boundaries of "special effects". Such a tactic had failed us only once in the 1600s- the witch hunts we never talked about.

"It was a failure on all of our parts," my grandmother admitted when I finally convinced her to tell me about it, "The witches weren't hiding their spells well enough. Young ones, who wanted nothing more than to experiment with the power they had. Our family has always been smarter than that, and we'll continue to do so. It's why our bloodline has remained so strong all these years."

My dad took the path of a garden mage, dedicating his life to raising me and my baby brother, to being the perfect husband and father, just as my mother became a kitchen witch. That docile life wasn't my destiny. I wanted to learn _everything_ , and what a task that was. There was a spell for everything, and if there somehow wasn't, you'd trust your own blood and powers to do the right thing. That was my favorite kind of magic because it was solely on you and your thoughts and hand motions. Spells weren't dependent on wands, but on the way you moved your hand. Flowing motions for docile magic, sharp for battle.

"Our rules are simple, (Y/n). Remember them. One, all battle witchcraft must be used in defense. A proper witch would never make the first move. Second, your ability is dependent on your hands. Not words, not potions, but your hands. The flick of a wrist, the twitch of a finger, all of it is crucial. Third, we are not meant to share our abilities with normal humans. We thrive on secrecy. Fourth, you are not to use magic in public unless you are _sure_ no one will suspect you. Spells made in public must be discreet, and natural seeming. Lastly, _balance_. What is given will be taken. What is taken must be given. Every speed spell, every protection spell, sends waves into the world, depending on the spell, it could be anything from a light bulb popping to a flood."

"I understand, grandmother."

Witch society was complicated, and well hidden. We had a government that barely came out of the woodwork- only in dire situations that required a trial. Other than that, the state-based organizations were counted on to handle smaller matters. We had our own communication networks- that's what the main use of cauldrons were in modern society- and get-togethers that were optional. We rarely used potions, considering most modern spells could cover things.

On top of all my lessons, my grandma told me stories of demons and specters as I trained with her- spending every summer at her house to absorb more knowledge while I could. By the time I was a teenager, they would expect me to learn for myself. In the end, I never thought I would meet one of the stories she told me about.

At the end of my seventh grade school year, my parents announced we'd be moving from Hawkins, Indiana to Derry, Maine. It was my last summer with my grandma unless I could convince my parents to let me go home to spend time with her during the summer- and they seemed reluctant to even let me spend that last summer with her for unknown reasons. That meant I couldn't see my friends either.

"Maybe you can just take the bus back yourself," Mike suggested over our last game of DND. We'd be putting my character into a frozen state, ready to come back when I returned to visit, "You know, and spend it with one of us."

"My mom would be okay with it," Will offered.

"Yeah, and then we don't have to be split up all the time," Dustin concluded.

Ever the realist, Lucas said, "It's an eighteen hour drive, the bus ride will be longer. Her parents would never let her do that, they're crazy."

"Hey!" I smacked his arm. Lucas saw my parents as crazy because of the way they acted around the boys. I was never allowed to tell him it was because all of us could use magic. I kept our talks about witchcraft for DND. "It doesn't matter. I'll come back when I can, and until then, we'll call each other." It was the end of that conversation.

My last summer with Grandma was confusing. The time she took out of the day to train me was almost painful and highly exhausting. It was frantic, and she would never tell me why she was pushing me so hard. I knew it wasn't just because the move. My mother could teach me what she couldn't, the two of them just always preferred my grandma doing it.

When we were loading all of our belongings into our rented moving van, my grandma pulled up in her Volkswagen and began unloading things from the trunk without explanation. They were brand new witchcraft supplies, and she was putting them on our driveway without a care for anyone who could see them.

"Grandma," I rushed out, stepping in front of everything she was taking out as if my body could cover it all, "What are you doing?"

"It's for you," she explained shortly, taking out the last box. There were five boxes in total, generally the same size give or take a few inches, and a few random items left out by themselves, "I've been collecting items for you since the day you were born. I was saving them for your fifteenth birthday, but you need them now."

"Why?" My fifteenth birthday would be the day I was officially on my own as a witch, finding my way in the magic world as an individual. She was giving me these things nearly a year and a half early.

My grandma didn't answer. Instead, she pulled off the pendant around her neck, dropping it around mine, "I'll always be by your heart, but it's time you learn on your own."

One of the things my grandma loved to talk about was our family. It was obvious that we were proud of our heritage, and I was proud to be a Talbot as well. Part of that heritage was a pendant with our family crest. It was so unlike any clan that wasn't royal to have a crest, but we did. It was older than America itself, refurbished with magic whenever it needed to be.

"Grandma-"

"(Y/n), it's time to go," my father wrapped an arm around my shoulders, steering me away, "Your mom and I can handle those boxes. You need to watch Percy."

"But why can't she-"

"Don't ask questions," my dad's grip tightened, and he guided me into the car my mom would follow the truck in.

When he was gone, I made sure Percy was fast asleep before peeking out the window. My parents were in a heated conversation with my grandma, none of them were happy, but my grandma was more nervous than anything. By the time they were finished, they left my grandma alone in the driveway. My mom handed me a large book when she got in.

My dad pulled out, then my mom, and I waved to my grandma as we left. She didn't wave back. It was the last time I saw her.

~*~

Derry, Maine was an even smaller small town than Hawkins. We pulled into one of the nicest neighborhoods there and officially started our new lives.

I tried to keep up with The Party, and god knows I lost my mind when Will went missing and was declared dead a few days later. It was the worst Christmas of my life., and I called The Party almost every day. My parents didn't want to go back for the funeral, and I didn't talk to them for three days. They never explained why. Then Will came back to life, and no one wanted to answer my questions about what happened, so I felt left out, alone, and eager to make some new friends to account for the loss.

But school was much less interesting without The Party there to talk to, and I wasn't sure who to make friends with. Derry Middle School held individuals that always made my instincts scream fight or flight. I steered clear of them, and with a little help from a spell, they couldn't care less about the new girl.

Knowing that if I wanted to make the best of my new life I had to make friends, I tracked down the most plausible- Beverly Marsh. Rumors claimed she was "loose". But rumors also led to the witch hunts, so I was never very fond of them. The fact that I was the new girl made it easy to become friends with her. It was a fresh start for both of us. I sat with her at lunch, talked to her in class, and filled my pendant with the proper herbs to open her mind to the idea of having me as a friend.

Beverly was nice, smart, and strong. I loved having her as a friend- The Party was lacking in female members. From what I could gather, her home life wasn't stable. Every weekend she could, she came to my house. It was a lot of work to constantly hide all of my Wicca stuff, but it was well worth it for her.

With her, I found my familiar. The woods around Derry overflowed with energy, so naturally, they became my safe space. One day, while taking a walk with Bev, we heard a slow whine. Following it to the source, we stumbled upon a tod. The scene was graphic, and Bev looked away. Even I, more used to such scenes from my lessons of Wiccan history, didn't enjoy it.

"His leg must have gotten caught in a trap or something," ignoring the gore, I stepped closer. Looking at his red coat, how small he was, and finally his eyes, something clicked and I knew, "I'm going to save him."

"(Y/n)-"

I gave Bev a look, and that was all it took for her to nod. Approaching the wounded animal, I held my ground when it snarled. It was scared, not rabid.

"It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. Look, look," kneeling at a safe distance, I turned my hand so my palm faced up. Meeting the fox's eyes, I whispered, "Calm, calm. See me, _know_ me."

Flipping my palm made it seem like a calming move to Bev, but in reality, it was the start of our connection. I was offering myself to his service and asking the fox for his. The fox lowered his head, letting out one final whine. Pulling off my sweatshirt - March in Maine was freezing - I wrapped it around his body, careful to avoid his wound. Holding him close, I turned back to Bev.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah. Good luck."

We went our separate ways. Taking more of the less common paths to steer clear of people. I entered my house through the backdoor, searching for my parents.

"Mom? Dad?" I called. My parents were quick to join me in the kitchen.

"Oh my god," my mom jumped when she caught sight of the animal in my arms, "What are you doing?"

"He's my familiar," I explained shortly, "Bev, and I were walking through the woods and I saw him. His leg must've gotten caught in a trap or something. Can you help him, please?"

Nodding, my mom motioned for me to put him on the table. Mumbling a few orders to my dad, he sped off, presumably to get supplies. Then, she unwrapped my sweatshirt from around him and visibly winced.

"A fox familiar isn't something I've seen before," my mom joked weakly. She had a Goldfinch and my dad had a Border Collie. Foxes weren't a normal familiar. Normally they were a bird, cat, dog, or type of reptile, "That means being clever and noble will come easy to you.

Kneeling on the ground so I'd be eye to eye with my new familiar, I tried to pass on some reassurance.

"Castor," I dubbed him without hesitation, "It's gonna be okay. Stay strong, we've got a lot of adventures left, buddy."

Adventures as in continuing my education and exploring the woods around Derry, not what came that summer.


	2. Doppelgängers

_"So this is the latest doppelg_ ä _nger. The original one was much prettier."_

🔮

**Chapter One - Doppelgängers**

🔮

According to German folklore, all living creatures have a spirit double who is invisible but identical to the living individual. These second selves are perceived as being distinct from ghosts (which appear only after death), and sometimes they are described as the spiritual opposite or negative of their human counterparts. Some cultures introduce them as malicious, others as fae who want to take the human back to their world.

On all counts, everything about that was wrong. Doppelgängers are an identical twin completely unrelated to the "original". It's a fluke of fate, a rare occurrence in which another supernatural creature has a hand in two family's lives which affects their fate. Usually, fae or a demon is to blame.

That information should have gone through my head when I first saw Richie Tozier. Logically, I knew that it was a doppelgänger situation, but that didn't stop me from completely blanking when I saw him.

"Mike," I said a little too loudly, flushing in embarrassment when he looked my way. Quickly turning away, I hurried back down the hall. It was the last day of school, with any luck, he'd forget what happened over the summer and I'd be a nameless face in the crowd once again.

I was looking for Bev. We were supposed to ride our bikes home together. Well, we'd ride down the main road and then go our separate ways when our streets diverged- into the class different neighborhoods. But we couldn't do that and talk on the way if I couldn't find her in the first place.

"Bev! I was looking for you!" I finally found her stepping out of the bathroom, just behind- "Aw, shit."

Gretta and her goons passed by me, giving me nothing more than a sneer, she'd never given me anything more than that, and she never would. That didn't mean I couldn't protect Beverly. Unspoken rule: Don't cast spells on others unless they're in mortal danger or a part of magic society. None of those applied.

"Are you okay?" I asked her nervously, nose wrinkling when I caught the smell, "Oh god. What happened in there?"

"They dumped trash on me," she growled, "All I was trying to do was have a smoke- I see your look, don't look at me like that- Then Gretta came in and started bitching and her goons filled up the trash bags with water and dumped them on me."

"Damn, somebody needs to teach them a lesson," a little hex when I got home wouldn't be bad. Just some herbs that Castor would drop off in their yards that would lead to bad luck. The rules never said anything about that, "My bike is up front, I'll meet you in the back in a few."

The front of the school was hectic, and not something I wanted to weave my way through. But I had to suck it up to get my bike from the rack. On my way there, the police presence in the front caught my attention. It was Betty Ripsom's mom, waiting anxiously with her eyes on the entrance- like her daughter would walk out of the school as if nothing ever happened.

The disappearances were alarming, and my parents didn't want to talk about them. Georgie Denbrough and Betty Ripsom. Two different ages, both vanished without a trace. Those things happened, I knew that. There was darkness in the world both natural and supernatural, but something about what was going on in Derry formed a pit in my stomach. It wasn't right. Small town crimes were common, but two disappearances so close together?

Whenever I brought it up to my parents, they both frowned and changed the subject. They felt bad about it too, but they didn't want to do anything. I wasn't sure why we moved to Derry - I knew it wasn't because of a job offer or anything - but my parents obviously weren't happy with what our fresh start was turning into.

"You suck, B-B-B-B-Bowers!"

Turning to the source of the shout, I was met with Mike's doppelgänger and his friends. I had a few classes with a few of them. We'd said a few words to each other before, but nothing to cement a friendship between us. Still, my body acted on its own when Henry Bowers took a threatening step towards Bill Denbrough - the only one whose name I knew because of his brother.

"Hey Bowers," I called out, mentally screaming at myself. All the effort I put into protecting myself from Bowers and his gang had just gone down the drain. I'd have to do everything all over again, "Stop being an asshole and leave them alone."

Smirking, Bowers stood his ground as I approached, ten times more confident than I was, "Look at that, the bitch speaks. Tell me, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't have to do anything," I hissed, motioning to the officers behind us with a jerk of my head. I was exuding confidence I didn't have. What would I do if he attacked me? Use magic and expose the entire magic world? No. I didn't have a safety net, "What would your daddy say if he saw his son beating up Georgie Denbrough's brother, huh?"

Eyes flickering over to his father near the police cars, Bowers growled under his breath and grabbed my arm. Breath hitching, my throat tightened to the point of denying my lungs air. Did I overestimate how scared he was of his father? Was he really such a delinquent that he would beat me up in front of the cops?

"You'll get what's coming to you, Talbot. And maybe a little more," he whispered, letting me go with a shove. Joining his gang again, they stalked off without another word.

Shivering at all the different implications behind his words, I turned to face the boys behind me. All of them were struck dumb by my actions, and honestly, so was I. My entire strategy was survival. I'd put all of that on the line for those boys. What was the point behind it? Only my subconscious instincts knew, and it wasn't cluing me in.

"Holy shit, our asses just got saved by a girl," Mike's doppelganger exclaimed loudly, yelping when he was smacked on the arm by the shortest one of the group.

"Y-y-you didn't ha-have to do tha-at," Bill muttered, slowly coming out of his shock. A leader, headstrong, and healing from a deep wound was what I gained from his energy lines when I focused on them. They were similar to auras but more specific, exclusive to magic users. It was a parlor trick, honestly, just picking out energy waves from spiritual fields.

"You're right, I didn't. But Bowers is an asshole," it was the only explanation I could give for what I did, considering I still didn't know why my body had to put me in danger like that.

"Thanks," the curly-haired boy spoke. Practical, OCD, self-discovering, and cute. I didn't get the cuteness from his lines, I just liked him, "Bowers is gonna seek you out now, but you still helped us."

"I'm not super worried," I was terrified. I didn't know how recreating the spell would work. Would it work for the same people twice? I'd be finding out soon enough.

"I'm Richie," the kid in coke-bottle glasses that could be Mike's twin rushed forward, holding out his hand. A jokester, deeply caring, and oh- that was interesting. He had a little crush, "Nice to meet you, brave girl."

"I'm (Y/n)," I introduced myself.

"That's Bill, Stanley, and Eds-"

"Eddie," smart, protective, nurturing, and said crush.

"Whatever helps you sleep while I'm doing your mom."

That was my cue to leave. Eyeing my bike over on the rack, I smiled at all of them politely, "I have to go. Good luck, dealing with Bowers this summer. I won't be there to save you every time."

"Th-th-thanks," Bill returned my smile, albeit more nervously.

Walking over to grab my bike off the rack, I looked back to the boys one last time. I caught them staring. They were all quick to look away and act "natural". Chuckling, I walked my bike next to me to the back of the school where Bev was waiting with hers.

"You make a new friend?" I motioned to the boy staring at her at the back entrance, "He's the new kid, isn't he?"

"If you count being here for four months as new, then yeah. His name is Ben," Bev and I took off, "What about you? Took you a while to get your bike."

"Had to deal with Bowers."

"Don't tell me you beat him up," Bev's tone was joking, but I sensed some concern there.

"No, just called him an asshole and embarrassed him... I'm so dead." We pulled out of the school and sped down the main road.

"Just don't leave your house this summer," Bev suggested sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, I'd just love to hang out in my room all day hoping Bowers will forget about what I said." It wasn't a bad plan, actually, and I took a few moments to consider it before deciding that trying the forgetfulness spell another time would be better, "But we've got so many plans already, I wouldn't want to break your heart."

"Like what? Biking around town all day in hopes that we'll find adventure?" Bev laughed, though it quickly died down when we reached a T in the road. I'd go one way, she'd go the other. I saw the fear in her eyes and the yellowing bruise on her arm that her sleeve only just covered.

"You know you can come over any time, right? Just knock on my window and I'll be there," I reminded her. She'd done it many times before, and it always gave me a heart attack. But it improved how I organized my witchcraft supplies. It was impeccably easy to store them now because I needed to do it fast so often.

"I know, (Y/n). Thank you."

She went right, and I went left, concerned for her and for everyone else in the town- unsure why.

On the road to my house, I noticed that Stan was just outside of his. I never took much stock in where he lived before, I never had a need to, but now that I "knew" him it was more interesting to see his life. He parked his bike in his driveway, ran a hand through his hair, and looked out to the street. Eyes widening, I quickly looked away. When I thought that he would have gone inside, I glanced back. He was still looking at me, curiously.

Pulling up to my house, I parked my bike in the garage. Soft fur against my bare calf drew my attention and a smile. Reaching down, I picked up my young familiar.

"And how are you today, Castor?" I asked him. He was happy that it was summer, because it meant it wouldn't have to be at home without me all day, "I know, I'm happy about it too. You can probably go out with me and Bev too."

Castor liked Bev. She didn't question it very much when she showed up to my house one night and found a three-legged fox lying in my bed. She asked if it was the same one I had saved in the forest, and I explained that my mom helped save it since she was a nurse, and that because it was missing one of his back paws he couldn't be trusted to be let go. She accepted it and didn't feel the need to pursue the matter further.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home," I shouted, stepping into the house.

"How was school?" My mom stepped out of the kitchen, Percy babbling in her arms. He'd started getting smarter, grabbing for things with a purpose and figuring out what his toes were. It was weird to think he was 7 months old.

"Fine. I'm happy that summer's here," I chuckled, taking note of my father's absence, "Where's Dad?"

"Got held back at the office. Something about an issue with their stock. He'll be home in time for dinner."

"That's good. I'll be in my room, call me down for dinner." I didn't usually enjoy being so short with my parents, but I didn't need my mom's empathic nature to pick up on what really happened that day, or my dad's nearly telepathic abilities to see my jumbled thoughts.

Coming from such a pure bloodline meant magic mutations - our equivalent to genetic mutations - which led to my parent's abilities. The mutations were culminations of magic, superpowers to a comic lover- albeit weak ones compared to heroes like Superman. I wasn't sure what mine was- if I even had one. My mom was practically empathic, my dad could pick up thoughts if they were all someone was thinking about, and my grandma was psychic, seeing into the future now and then.

In my room, I flipped through my grimoire until I reached the spell that had been protecting me as long as I had been in Derry. It was a modified forgetfulness spell, one that wouldn't make people forget specific memories, but rather make someone look past a person entirely.

Going through the motions, a quick flash of the hand across the eyes and an easy-going trail down the body, I felt the power building in my hand. Spells always filled me with warmth, and that's how I knew they worked. But just as the spell was about to go out into the world, something stopped, and that warmth was replaced with a soul biting cold. Jerking my hand close to my body, I shivered and pulled a blanket off my bed to wrap around myself. The spell didn't take. But spells always took, because I didn't fail. And even if I messed up a little, the spell would still go but would differ from my intentions.

Sitting on my bed and pulling the blanket closer, I ignored the dread building in my stomach. It was fine. First time for everything, right? Castor hopped onto my bed, laid on my lap, and whined lowly. He didn't like what happened either.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Jerking my head over to look at the window, I pushed aside the blinds and sent Bev a smile. Motioning for her to wait for a second, I went around my room and picked up the herbs that had accumulated on my desk, putting them in a box in my closet. Then I put my grimoire in, setting some clothes on top. Double checking that everything was clear, I slid open the window. Slung over Bev's shoulder was a backpack full of however many clothes she needed for however long she was staying. She climbed through and landed surely on my floor.

"I'll grab the sleeping bag after dinner," I told her, sitting on my bed and picking up Castor again. She sat next to me, and pet Castor absently, "You wanna talk about it?"

"He was drunk when I got home, took the rest of the day off so he could spend it with me. But then he got angry, started going on about mom and what happened to her... I had to get out of there before it got any worse," Bev rubbed her wrist, and I grabbed her hand so I could look it over.

"Shit, Bev," I whispered. There were already bruises forming, dark ones, "Hang on."

Passing Castor to her, I hurried to the bathroom across the hall. Kneeling, I opened the bottom cupboard and pulled out a small wooden box. Inside was healing herbs, plants that always stimulated the body in ways chemical-based medicines couldn't. Sifting through what was inside, I pulled out a sundried flower; St. John's Wort.

Holding it up for Bev to see when I got back to my room, I took her wrist again and gently pressed the flower against it, smiling apologetically when she winced.

"Do you get vaccinations?" Bev asked with a small chuckle, "Because every time one of us gets hurt, you just pull out a magical plant that heals it."

"Of course I do," just because we were magic users didn't mean we didn't believe in science. It'd come a long way since its beginning, and vaccines worked better than most spells due to what the human body could process, "But plants help too. People depend on drugs too much. The Earth has provided things for us already."

Plants were key to certain spells, especially healing ones because they were natural, and connected with the body in a way that only organic things could. It was all about connection in healing magic, that's how the body was able to heal itself.

"Thanks," Bev twisted her wrist when I pulled away, running a finger over the bruises that already looked better, "You're magical, I swear."

Laughing, I discarded the dried flower in the trash. It wouldn't work again, but Bev was worth it.

We relaxed after that, talking about what we could do together over the summer. Lots of sleepovers, finding new trails in the forest, and enjoying the Fourth of July carnival that always came through were our favorite options.

My parents called me for dinner and didn't flinch when they saw Bev. She'd come over enough that they picked up on what was happening. They set out an extra plate, put some food on it, and we sat down. One big happy family.

I tried not to think of the people in town who didn't have that right.


	3. Naiads

_"Water is the driving force of all nature" (Leonardo da Vinci)_

🔮

**Chapter Two - Naiads**

🔮

Naiads, according to Greek mythology, are relatively tame. They precede in freshwater- beautiful women who usually came from cults worshipping Poseidon. Poseidon then rewarded them by turning them into Naiads.

However, the lesser-known side of the myth is that Naiads can be vicious. If they become too interested in you, your beauty, or your items, they’ll drag you into the water to get another look. If you try to fight back, they’ll do the same to protect their territory.

I had to learn about hundreds of myths as I grew up, even though very few of them were true, and Naiads always scared me. What if I went into a lake and they liked what I had and decided to drown me for it?

But standing in front of the river in Derry gave me no fear. I was at peace with the area and the energy surrounding it. The sewer entrance was farther down the river, and I was glad to be far from it. The sewers and the Neibolt house were the two places in Derry I felt the worst energy from.

Near the sewer entrance was another group. I could hear their voices. Mentions of poison ivy and greywater. But I wasn’t close enough to be able to figure out who they were. So I didn’t concern myself with it and continued on with the task at hand.

I was looking for some mint and watercress. Both things grew by the river running through Derry, so I had easy access to them. They would be a nice surprise for my mom, and something nice to crush for smaller herb mixes.

With Castor trailing behind me, ready to yip if he found a good cluster, I hummed to myself as I wandered along. Finding a nice cluster of watercress, I picked the plants carefully, placing them in the front pocket of my backpack. I froze when I heard angry voices from behind me. It wasn’t the group from the sewer entrance.

Standing, I slowly walked toward the source of the noise. My heart dropped when I saw the new kid- Ben, roll down the hill and stumble to his feet. Behind him was Bowers and his gang.

“Shit,” I swore under my breath, “Castor I’ll meet you at home.” Castor didn’t want to go, I sent him a glance, “I’m going to be a good person and help him. I don’t need them trying to shoot you for fun.”

Castor trotted off, annoyed. But I couldn’t be bothered with that when Bowers and his gang were so close to me. Twirling my wrist and flicking my right hands pinky, I sent a spell out. Sure of myself, I walked backwards and into the river. It soaked through my socks and shoes, but I paid it no mind. The four boys were distracted, so I sprinted through the water after Ben. None of them noticed me. A silencing spell was to thank, and a damn good one at that.

Ben’s stamina surprised me, though most of it was probably adrenaline. Over the sound of Ben’s splashing I could hear the group of boys I heard earlier more clearly. I knew who they were. It was Bill, Stanley, Eddie, and Richie. Our fates were certainly crossed.

Finally, Ben collapsed. Panting, I came up next to him and fell to my knees, unconcerned about my shorts getting wet in my haste to catch my breath. Mine as well have them match my soaked shoes.

“I saw you running from Bowers,” I explained breathlessly, twitching my pinky again to conclude the silencing spell, “What did he do to you?”

Ben was too out of breath to answer.

“Holy shit, what happened to you?” Richie yelled.

“Bowers and his gang are coming,” I helped Ben to his feet, leading him to the shore, “I heard them chasing Ben here. I didn’t want to become their next target, so I ran too.”

The boys were quick to grab their bikes when they heard that Bowers was nearby. Bill offered the back of his bike to Ben, and Stan offered his to me. Grimacing when I thought of my own bike, left by the side of the river, I made a mental note to retrieve it in the future.

Taking my place just behind Stan on his seat, I wrapped my arms around his middle tightly, thankful that he couldn’t see my blush. There’d never been an occasion in Hawkins where I needed to share a bike with the other boys, but there’d also never been a certain Party member that I found as attractive as Stan.

Leaning my forehead against his back, I closed my eyes to focus on something else, anything else. Like how we- “We need to go to the general store!” The boys didn’t ask questions and changed directions.

Taking a final look back, I caught a glance of the entrance to the sewer. Maybe Bowers and his gang were adding to it, but the energy coming from the dark hole was pitch black, emanating an evil that sent shivers up my spine.

We all stopped in the alley next to the general store. Stanley dropped his bike before I was ready, causing me to stumble. He was quick to grab my forearms to steady me, sending me a sheepish smile.

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” I reassured, focusing on the task at hand. Ben’s shirt was soaked in blood by that point, and he was increasingly becoming more and more out of it.

“You guys wait here,” Bill pointed to Richie and Ben.

The rest of us walked into the store. Immediately, Eddie picked several items off the shelves. Bandages, antiseptic and cotton balls. Bill was the logical one and checked the prices.

“That’s a lot of money, guys,” he pointed out nervously.

Stan retrieved a few crumpled ones from his pocket, holding them out without hesitation. It made my heart melt. He didn’t even know Ben, and he was willing to sacrifice his money if it meant helping him.

“You have an account here don’t you?”

“You crazy? My mom finds out I bought this stuff for myself I’ll spend the whole weekend in the emergency room getting x-rayed.” Seems like Eddie’s mom was an interesting character.

Racking my brain for an idea, all that I could come up with was plans requiring magic. A little spell to create a diversion so we could shoplift, or a spell to make money and pretend that it’d been in my pockets the entire time. Neither of them seemed like they would work. We had nothing.

Until Bev walked down our aisle.

“Where’s the fire?” She asked, holding something behind her back. Probably what she was there to buy in the first place.

“None of your business,” Stan snapped. I hit his arm so lightly that it could have been considered a tap. I didn’t know him well enough to hit him legitimately.

“There’s a kid outside, looks like someone killed him,” Eddie admitted without hesitation.

“Shit. Can I help?”

Lightbulb. Smirking, I hurried over to Bev and explained the plan I’d just come up with. She nodded and made her way up to the counter. Turning back to the guys, they were all confused with the most recent turn of events.

“When I say go, we need to book it,” they nodded in understanding.

Bev started a conversation with Mr. Keene. One that would distract him long enough so we could make a fast exit without being discovered. Finally, she knocked over a display of cigarettes on the counter, and I knew that was the cue.

“Go,” I hissed. The four of us ran from the store, but not before Eddie knocked a few items off a shelf, “Eddie, this is supposed to be a quiet operation!”

When we got outside and were safe from possible persecution, we couldn’t stop the chuckles that escaped us, despite the situation. None of us had put shoplifting on our summer wish list.

“We need to clean the area around the wound before we start disinfecting and wrapping,” I ordered, unpackaging our items. Then, I pulled some Watercress from my bag, ripping it in half and pressing it against the bandages we’d use on the wound.

“What’s that for?”

“Stops the chances of disinfection,” I explained shortly.

“Wait, Ben from sosh?” Bev called down the alley, approaching, “You okay? That looks like it hurts.”

“I’ll be fine. I just fell.” Ben answered sheepishly. That was cute, he had a little crush on her.

“Right into Bowers,” Richie added.

“Sh-shut it, Richie.”

“Why? It’s the truth…”

“Are you sure they got… the right stuff… to fix you up?” Bev questioned, exchanging a small smile with him as if it were a joke the rest of us wouldn’t understand.

Waiting for Eddie to finish disinfecting the wound, I stated, “Trust me and my magic healing powers, Bev. We got this.”

“Yeah, w-we’ll take care of him. Thanks again, Beverly.”

“Sure. See you around,” Bev sent me an extra wave, and she was off, at least until Bill went after her a few seconds later. He was smitten too. That’d play out like a classic love triangle.

“Good going bringing up Bowers, Richie,” Stan smacked the back of his head.

“Yeah, you heard what she did.”

“What’d she do?”

“Nothing,” I snapped, finally able to put the bandage on Ben’s stomach, feeling the telltale warmth of a spell in my hands. If I kept the guys focused on my words and not my hands, they wouldn’t notice my skin glowing, “She never did anything. Greta made up the rumors because she’s a grade-a bitch.”

The group was quieter after that, but I was okay with it if it meant not talking about everything that had ruined Bev’s reputation. We finished patching Ben up, and split up the leftover supplies between me and Eddie since we were the ones who knew how to use them.

“Alright,” I sighed, standing, “I need to get my bike from the river, I left it there when I saw Bowers and Ben. But I’m sure I’ll see you guys later.”

Readjusting my backpack straps on my shoulders, I gave the group a wave and started to leave the alley, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

“I could take you if you want. Just in case Bowers is still there. Power in numbers and all that,” Stan offered, a tentative smile playing on his lips.

Really, _really_ wanting to take him up on his offer, I knew I couldn’t. Power in numbers might have worked for other humans against Bowers, but my best chance was to be able to use magic in my protection without fear of revealing myself to anyone.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll be okay. I got away from him last time, and this time I’ll have my bike,” I mentally cursed at myself for saying no when Stan’s face fell. I’d encountered him twice - not counting when I passed his house - both times because of Bowers, and both times I enjoyed his company despite the situation, “Besides, it looks like your friends are waiting for you.”

The boys were quick to look away when I pointed them out. Chuckling, I turned my attention back to Stan.

“We’re going to the quarry tomorrow, after lunch if you want to come,” he offered, “The water always starts warming up towards the end of the school year.”

I thought of the quarry in Hawkins, of how everyone thought Will fell off and drowned because it was too high to survive. How I believed it could have been Naiads, pulling him under because they could sense his pure soul. But if the boys did it every year, then it must have been safe to jump off of.

“Sure, I’d like that,” I waved to the boys one final time and left. It wasn’t long before I was panicking about our most recent conversation, “I’d like that? _I’d like that_? Why not just tell him that I love spending time with him and I think he’s cute? God, I’m so _stupid_!”

Finding the path into the woods, I took it cautiously, listening for any signs of the most malicious group of people in the town. But there was nothing. They must have left after they couldn’t find Ben.

My bike was left unharmed on the side of the river. Picking it up, I walked it up the path until I reached the road. I got on and set a course for home. The fastest way would be Neibolt, and considering how I told my parents I’d be home thirty minutes earlier, it was my best option.

Passing by the house that should have been taken down years ago, I was quick to look away and focus on the road ahead of me. But my eyes were drawn back there for a split second. When I turned my eyes back to the road, there was a fire in my path. Jerking to the side, I winced when I crashed to the ground, scraping my hands on the way down.

“Shit,” I looked back to the road, but there was nothing there. Wiping the dirt off my hands on my shorts, I picked my bike back up and got back on. I was so paranoid about the house that I imagined something.

I didn’t look at the Neibolt house again. I thought of something else, like putting a hex on Bowers so he’d be unlucky for the next couple of months. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched, stalked. As someone with a lot of power in her hands, I was terrified.


	4. Eldritches

_"Monsters are real...They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." (Stephen King)_

🔮

**Chapter Three - Eldritches**

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Eldritch Abominations are a type of creature defined by their disregard for the natural laws of the universe as we understand them. They are grotesque mockeries of reality beyond comprehension whose disturbing otherness cannot be encompassed in any mortal tongue. Reality itself warps around them. Any rules that they do follow are beyond our understanding, as are what motives they might have for any of their actions.

By all counts, every bit of that information was true. Eldritches, malicious or otherwise, live on a completely different plane than mortals. They know of things that would explode a human's brain if they tried to understand, and most of them are neither good nor evil. Most of them.

Closing my grimoire, I decided that was enough for the day. Trying to get through all of the notes my grandma left me felt impossible. I knew the majority of the spells, minus the legitimate rituals that we'd never had a need for, but the handwritten pages in the back about topics I'd only heard in rare passing were a different story. They were manic, crammed with information that I'd never practically need.

Shaking my head, I shoved my last few items in my bag and slung it over my shoulder. Bidding my parents goodbye for the day, I got on my bike and made my way to Bev's apartment building, Castor trotting behind me.

Not wanting to face Bev's dad, I sucked it up and knocked on the door. Thankfully, she was the one to answer. Her dad must have been working a long day shift, then.

"You ready to go?" Over the phone the night before, Bev revealed that Bill had invited her to the quarry as well, so we agreed to go together. It took me a few seconds to notice- "Your hair."

"Yeah, I thought it was time for a change," she closed and locked her apartment door behind her. I understood what she meant, and didn't press further. She looked cute with short hair either way. Together we rode our bikes to the quarry on the edge of town- Bev leading the way since I'd never been there before.

"Hang around the water," I ordered Castor, and he trotted away without hesitation. He loved the water, and this was a way he could stay close and have fun at the same time.

My previous hunch was right. It was a lot shorter than the quarry in Hawkins, meaning we'd survive the jump. With my fears quenched, Bev and I parked our bikes. The guys were ahead of us at the edge, all of them stripped to their tighty-whities. Eyebrows raising, I sent Bev a glance. I expected it, but that didn't mean I was prepared for it. Pulling off my coverup, Bev followed my lead.

"Gang of sissies," Bev yelled, grabbing my hand and dragging me behind her towards the ledge.

"Wait, Bev, I don't know if going first is a smart- oh my god!" I cut my argument off by a scream when my feet left the edge.

A shock of cold water silenced me. I closed my eyes and blew out of my nose to keep water out. Kicking, I resurfaced with a gasp. Stan said the water was going to be warm, but the quarry water was freezing! Bev was next to me laughing happily, and I couldn't help but smile back.

One by one, the boys jumped into the water after us. All of them had similar reactions of gasping at the cold shock, but gradually we all got used to it. Then the fun began.

No matter what we would do later that summer, whether we went out for ice cream every day or my parents finally caved and let me go back to Hawkins, nothing would top our time in the quarry. I went into it barely knowing the boys, but as we commenced in chicken fight and splash wars, a connection was formed between us that I could practically see. A string, tying all of us together. It glowed bright, pure. And so I smiled, and laughed, and rejoiced in the present.

"Ah, fuck!" Richie cried, "Something just touched my foot."

"Where?" We all flocked to him, eager to see if it was a fish or a hidden treasure.

"Right here, right here," Richie stayed in place.

All of us dove under the water, searching with squinted eyes for a shape in the murky hues of green and blue. Something swam past my eyes, and I jerked back in shock- right into Stan. Together, we resurfaced, laughing together while the others were still searching under the water.

"Sorry," I chuckled, putting a little distance between us. My face burned, but we'd been in the sun long enough that it could be chalked up to the start of a sunburn. Stan was the same way, and I didn't dare guess which of the two if it was, "Did you see it?"

"No," Stan shrugged, "I'm sure one of the others will. If they don't drown before then."

He was right, they'd been under for a while. Or maybe our perception of time was being warped, seconds stretching into years as we stared at each other. We were getting gradually closer, and I blamed it on how we were treading water. But then Stan moved his arms to push himself forward, and he was impossibly close-

"It's a turtle," Bill popped out of the water, the other guys just behind.

We spent the entire afternoon in the water in the water; until our fingers and toes were pruned to the point that it would take hours for them to recover. By that point it was reaching the late afternoon, so we went onto the shore. We retrieved our bags from the cliff and brought them to the water's edge. Bev and I laid out towels, eager to dry before we put our clothes back on. Richie set out a BoomBox, switching it to a station playing summer hits.

"Nice way to spend our summer, isn't it?" I asked Bev quietly, slipping on my sunglasses to protect my eyes from the light glaring down at them.

"Better than walking through the forest all day," she giggled when I scoffed in mock offense, "I know you love the woods, but sometimes it gives me the creeps."

"It's not the forest you have to worry about here," something soft brushed against my arm, and I greeted Castor with a smile and a pet.

"What the fuck is that?" Eddie cried in fear, noticing Castor as he laid down next to me.

"A fox," I answered casually, continuing off of their confused looks, "Bev and I found him in the woods a few months ago, his leg caught in a trap. I saved him, and now he's kind of like a pet."

"Wicked," Richie grinned, holding out his hand as if he could summon Castor to his side, "Look at that, boys, we've got another resident weirdo."

"Go ahead," I whispered to Castor, chuckling at Richie's previous statement. He got up, trotted over to Richie, and rubbed against his hand once. Then he did a small circle around the other guys and settled back down next to me.

"It's a weird pet," Stan commented. Castor bristled, he didn't like that; being called a pet or being called weird.

"He's missing a paw, he can't be trusted to make it on his own in the wild," I shrugged the comment off, "We have a Border Collie and a Goldfinch too. My family likes animals, I guess."

Stan perked up at the Goldfinch statement. He was a bird lover, then. I'd have to introduce him to Raven at some point, she liked attention.

Two songs played through, the only thing breaking the silence for a while. Then Love and Rockets came on with "I'm Alive", prompting me to get moving. Feeling a lot better in dried underwear, I pushed up my sunglasses, stood, and stretched. Turning to talk to the guys, I laughed when they all looked away with red cheeks. Castor moved to lie on my towel completely, taking advantage of me moving.

"Subtle, guys," I sat on the rock next to Stan, trying to ignore the fire in my veins as my shoulder knocked his and our knees brushed together.

"Newsflash, school's out for summer," Richie dug through Ben's bag.

"That's library stuff. Not school stuff-"

Richie pulled out a postcard, "Who sent you this?"

"No one," Ben was quick to snatch it away. Richie didn't stop though, he pulled out a folder and looked at the contents inside.

"What's with the history project?"

"Oh, uh, when I moved here I didn't have anyone to hang out with or anything, so I just started spending time in the library.

"Seriously? You went to the library? On your own? For fun?"

"Richie, not everyone despises learning," I shot back in defense.

At the new conversation, Bev stood and walked over, sitting next to Bill, "I want to see too." Richie passed the folder over to Bill so he and Bev could look it over together, "Why is it all of people getting killed and missing kids?"

"Derry's like any town, right, been around long enough, bad things happen? I mean, all history is a long line of bad things happening to people," Eddie suggested.

"Try reading the Torah," Stan offered sarcastically.

"Yeah, but Derry's not like any town I moved to. And we've moved a lot. Did you guys know people die violently here or disappear like six times the national average?"

"You read that?" I asked in shock. Was that why I got bad feelings at certain spots around the town?

Ben nodded, "That's just adults. Kids are worse. Way worse... I've got more stuff if you wanna see it."

Bev was interested, the guys were intrigued, Eddie looked like he was going to cry, and I wanted to see why exactly the town had such a rough history. Was it malicious spirits? A high demonic presence? An evil fae colony?

All of us packed up and got dressed again. I sent Castor home and he went without arguing. Chattering with a new kind of excitement, we followed Ben to his house. While we were parking our bikes Ben rushed inside ahead of us. We followed behind, albeit a bit slower.

"Oh my god," I whispered when I entered. The walls were covered in photocopied picture of missing posters, documents, and general information about Derry's history.

"What's this? Declaration of Independence?" Stan asked, pointing out a document with a slew of signatures on it.

"The charter for Derry Township."

"Nerd alert," Richie teased.

"No, it's kind of interesting. Derry started as a beaver trapping camp."

"Still is. Am I right boys?" Richie held his hand up for a high five, only receiving disappointed looks in return.

"Ninety-one people signed the charter that made Derry. But then, later that winter, they all disappeared without a trace."

"The entire camp?" Eddie questioned, already knowing the answer.

"There were rumors of Indians but no sign of an attack. Others thought it was a plague or something. It was like everyone just woke up one day and left. The only clue was a trail of bloody clothes leading to where the wellhouse was."

"Jesus, we could get Derry on unsolved mysteries!"

"Wh-where was the wellhouse?" Bill asked.

"Somewhere in town, I guess..."

"What's the point of all this? What are you gonna do with it?"

"Dunno. Just killing time I guess."

"Benny boy, if you're gonna start killin' time with us fools, do it right..."

We all went our separate ways after that, with promises of meeting up again soon and a mass exchange of house phone numbers. The remaining six in the group were stuck together for a few streets until they started breaking off to join their respective neighborhoods. Stan and I were the last pair until he finally stopped in front of his house.

Parking my bike in the garage, Castor and Luna greeted me at the door. That told me that my dad was still working, otherwise, Luna would have been glued to his side like normal. I checked in with my mom who told me that dinner would be ready soon, and then I went to my room to change.

_Ring, ring!_

Eagerly answering the phone, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. A call from the Losers Club? Bev? Stan? Instead, Dustin's cheery voice greeted me, one of the reasons I was allowed to have a phone in my room in the first place. It was what got me to talk to my parents after my three days of silence when Will "died".

"Hey! What's up?" I sat down at my desk, flipping open my grimoire to do some reading while we talked.

_"Nothing much. Summer is kind of boring here, you know that. But we're close to finishing our latest campaign."_

"Really? How's (Y/n) the Sorceress doing in her freeze?"

 _"Patiently waiting to be freed. When do you think that'll happen?"_ Dustin was putting out feelers to see when I'd be visiting Hawkins; when we could repair what had been broken after no one talked to me about Will coming back to life. Mike was snappy, Will was nervous, Lucas was abrasive, but Dustin would always remain Dustin. No matter how frustrated I got with being left out, I could count on him to make me feel better.

Eyes scanning over the page I ended on earlier that day, my eyes widened, "I-I don't know. My parents are being weird about visiting. You know what happened around Christmas."

 _"True, but hey, it got you your own phone. Now we can talk whenever we want!"_ Ever the optimist, Dustin didn't take my denial to heart.

"Yeah, as long as your mom is sleeping..." my joke was half-hearted, and Dustin could probably sense that from the other side of the line, but I was distracted by the section on Eldritch monsters.

_Malicious Eldritch monsters are rare, as there is often no concept of good and evil within the species. However, due to their powerful nature, they can do anything ranging from illusions to bring a city to its knees. Often, such acts of power require long periods of rest and sustenance. For these malicious breeds, humans are the best option._

"Hey, I need to go, my mom is calling me for dinner. I'll talk to you later, okay? Good luck with the campaign."

_"Thanks. Talk to you later."_

As soon as my call with Dustin was complete I called my grandma and was sent to voicemail after an unreasonable number of rings. Unsure of what to say, or of who could hear, I hung up without leaving a message.

Running a hand over my face, I let out a tired sigh and closed my book. I'd go back to it tomorrow. That night, I was going to have fun with my family and enjoy the remaining hours of the best day ever- knowing that the summer ahead wouldn't be as carefree as I'd hoped.


	5. Dragons

"Come inside. Let the fire burn you alive."

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**Chapter Four - Dragons**

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A dragon is a large, serpentine legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures around the world. Beliefs about dragons vary drastically by region, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as winged, horned, four-legged, and capable of breathing fire. Dragons in eastern cultures are usually depicted as wingless, four-legged, serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence.

The popular western image of a dragon as winged, four-legged, and capable of breathing fire is an invention of the High Middle Ages, based on a conflation of earlier dragons from different traditions, and of inaccurate scribal drawings of snakes. In western cultures, dragons are portrayed as monsters to be tamed or overcome. They are often said to have ravenous appetites and to live in caves, where they hoard treasure.

Dragons _did_ exist on the Earth at some point, most magic users would place it around the time of the dinosaurs. It was a massive war between breeds that led to the famous dinosaur extinction, and the dragon's bones were scattered enough to come off as different animals.

Dragons, in nearly every culture, could breathe fire; hence taking out the dinosaurs. Fire was always a bit sensitive for witches, ever since the 1600s and the witch hunts. That didn't mean we avoided it like the plague, though. We enjoyed roasting marshmallows and had a few rituals based around bonfires, but we were all careful to never get too close. The flames would burn us like they did any other human. We were magical, not invincible.

Watching Percy was never a chore for me. I loved watching my little brother, and since my parents claimed it was a date night, I was given that honor once again. Having just given him a bottle, I laid him down in his crib- moved to the living room for the night, so he could sleep.

Luna whined and scratched at the back door. Knowing she wanted to go out, I opened the door for her. Castor was quick to follow. Raven was trailing my parents, as she had easy access to them because she could fly.

The two of them weren't outside for more than three minutes before I heard rapid yelps and barks. Turning on the back porch light, I couldn't see anything but the two of them barking at the woods behind our yard. Sighing in exasperation, I checked on Percy again, then stepped outside.

"Castor, Luna, what's going on?" I called, slowly walking towards them. Castor said there was someone there, hiding in the forest, "Whoever's there, come out _now_ before you regret it!"

I stretched out my fingers, prepared for a quick cast against whoever was hiding in the woods. A figure appeared. Taking a cautious step back, I sighed in relief when it was only Stanley, though that relief was quickly replaced with confusion. What was he doing at my house so late at night? Even if he did want to come over, he would have gone to my front door first, considering he lived on the other side of the street.

"What are you doing here?" Castor and Luna continued to yip and bark, "Castor, Luna, it's okay. Castor, you know him, it's okay." But they didn't stop. Picking Castor up, I grabbed Luna by the collar, "Just a second, Stan."

Castor was insisting it wasn't him, but I quietly shot back with, "What? It's a fairy pretending to be him? Castor, any possible creatures that could be doing this are ones we have treaties with." Still, he insisted, "Castor, it's gonna be fine. Even if it's something else, I can protect myself. Watch Percy."

Shutting the back door to keep them inside, I turned back to Stan, jumping when he was even closer than before. Taking a few steps towards him, I waited for him to explain why he was over. Maybe he had a bad home life like Bev and wanted to get away for a night- though I wasn't sure why he'd come to me and not one of the other Losers.

He mumbled something under his breath. Taking another step closer, I asked, "What did you say?"

"Burn the witch." Eyes widening, I knew that couldn't have been what he said. I misheard it. I had to have misheard it!

My gut became increasingly uncomfortable as the situation progressed. Luna and Castor were still whining from inside the house. Was Percy crying? All of my senses were on high alert. And that's why I noticed Stan's energy. It was no longer blue with sheens of tan. It was the darkest black I had ever seen.

"You're a witch."

"Stan you sound crazy," I laughed, playing the entire thing off, "Witches aren't real. Did Richie dare you to do this or something?"

"You're a witch," other voices joined the statement. From the treeline came Bev, Ben, Bill, Eddie, and Richie, "Burn the witch. Burn the witch."

"Guys this is insane," I back up towards the backdoor, "What is this? Some kind of initiation prank?"

"They should have destroyed you all during the trials. Every last one," from his pocket, Stan produced a lighter. Gasping, my entire body tensed as something washed over me. The other five were holding gas cans. "Burn the witch. Burn the witch. Burn the witch!"

Stan dropped the lighter to the ground, and a line of fire started toward me. Screaming, I frantically waved my hands above my head. In a split second, dark clouds formed and thunder roared as a storm started above my house, rain falling to put out the fire. But it kept roaring, closer and closer.

"Burn the witch. Burn the witch!"

Reaching the backdoor, I tried to open the door, but my hands were shaking so badly that I couldn't get a proper grip on the doorknob. Then I felt him behind me.

"What made you think," his breath was ice cold against my neck, making my struggle for the doorknob even worse, "That I could ever like a monster like you? You should burn for what you are. Unnatural, a freak, a bitch, the universe's mistake-"

I fell through the doorway, body landing hard against the tile of the kitchen. Pain bloomed on my arms, but I ignored it in favor of survival. Flipping onto my back, the six were standing there in silence. Then lightning flashed, and they were replaced with a clown- all sharp teeth and a menacing smile. Another flash and the clown was gone.

"What the fuck," I breathed. Luna and Castor were quick to come to my side and walk around me, offering their comfort, "You were right. I'm sorry for doubting you. But what the fuck was that? That wasn't the Losers Club, they'd never do that... they don't even know."

Percy cried from the living room, and I stood to go calm him down. I'd have to pull his crib into the bathroom so I could wash the gasoline off. The gas and Castor and Luna were the only things telling me that I wasn't going crazy, that whatever was going on in Derry wasn't natural, nor was it something I understood.

After quickly washing my hands, I calmed Percy and lulled him back to sleep. It was a chore to pull him into the bathroom, but it was the only way I could shower and make sure he was okay at the same time.

Unsure of what to do when I finished, I greeted my parents very absently when they arrived home and retreated to my room with Castor. Staring at the one page in my grimoire, I knew that my grandma wrote it for a reason. As far as I was concerned, she only had a big vision once every few years. She probably had one about Derry and that was why she was so frantic before we left.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" Looking at my phone, I reached out to make a mass call, but then it rang before I could even consider it. Quickly answering it, I was taken aback by frantic blubbering. It was Bev, "Bev, Bev what's going on?"

_"There was so much blood, and it just- it came out. It flew across the room! And my dad couldn't see it. I feel like I'm going crazy and I don't know who I should tell-"_

"Bev, _slow down_. Start over. What happened?"

_"I went into the bathroom and heard something from the sink, it sounded like Betty Ripsom. But then, then a bunch of hair came out and tried to pull me down. When I fought back it just shot out blood everywhere. My dad came in to see why I was screaming, and he couldn't see it. But (Y/n), I'm drenched in it... am I going crazy?"_

The chances of Bev going crazy right after I just had a terrifying experience were slim to none. I rubbed the forming bruises on my arm with my free hand, the ones I got from falling on the kitchen floor.

"I believe you, Bev. Come over here for the night and we can talk about it, alright? You can clean up and we can figure things out."

_"Okay, I don't think my dad will check up on me tonight. I'm uh, I'm thinking of calling the Club."_

Just the mention of them sent a shiver up my spine, but I reminded myself that whatever attacked me wasn't them. It wasn't Bev, Ben, Eddie, Bill, and Richie that threw oil on me. It wasn't Stan that told me to burn.

"Yeah, call them then head over here. Stay on the main roads. It might take a little longer but it'll be brighter."

_"Got it. I'll see you soon. And uh, thanks, for not calling me crazy."_

Ending the call, I ran a hand over my face, sighing tiredly. Castor was quick to plop down in my lap, yipping once quietly. He was reminding me that I wasn't alone in whatever we were dealing with.

"Thanks, buddy."

Twenty minutes later, Bev was knocking on my window, harder than usual. Rushing to open it, having already hidden away my things, she was quick to climb in, the blood on her hands staining the sill as she passed through.

"Holy shit!"

She was an absolute mess, soaked in blood that stained her skin and clothes. The only things that were clean were her shoes, and thanks to that she wasn't leaving any stains on my carpet.

"I didn't know what I would do with my dirty clothes. And I couldn't stay in that bathroom," Bev whispered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"That's fine. I get it. Just go shower in ours. I'll set some clothes outside the door for you and we can figure it out from there. Bring your dirty ones to the laundry room when you're done."

Nodding once, Bev left me room to head to the bathroom. After putting out some clothes for her, I set up the usual pull out I kept under my bed and waited for Bev to return in a fresh set of my clothes, no longer covered in blood.

The rest of the night, I made Bev go over what happened again and again until both of us were exhausted by the mental work it took to process everything that happened. Because of all of that, on everything both of us had gone through, I'd never felt more tempted to tell someone about the magic world. Because maybe then someone would understand.

~*~

The next morning, Bev and I went back to her apartment before her dad could find out she was gone- which meant waking up at a stupidly early time, but it was worth it if it meant keeping her safe. I hid in her closet while he said goodbye, and from there we called the Losers over.

While we were waiting, Bev showed me her bathroom. The sight of it caused bile to rise to my throat. The blood was scentless, but thick, still wet even after having the chance to dry all night. I saw a few footprints from Bev or her dad, and a few other scuffs, but overall it was undisturbed.

The five other Losers probably convened before coming over to Bev's, because we watched them all pull up on Bev's fire escape.

"You made it. I need to show you guys something..." Bev stood and we rushed down to greet them.

"What is it?" Ben asked nervously.

"Did we just win the Publishers Clearinghouse ten million dollar sweepstakes? If Ed McMahon is in there I'm to going to lose my sh-"

"Richie, this is serious," I reprimanded, sending Bev a glance, "Your dad will kill you if he finds out you had boys over."

"We'll leave a lookout. Richie?"

"Yeah, whatever. Ed McMahon can wait..." Richie grumbled, leaning on his bike seat.

Bev and I led the five into her apartment, approaching the bathroom like there was a beast inside. For all I knew, there was. Whatever had caused the blood in her bathroom also caused my fire vision. When talking to her the night before, I noticed that what happened in her bathroom occurred around twenty minutes after what happened to me. The creature had time to go from one place to another and prepare what happened.

"In there," Bev and I stopped outside the bathroom door, both of us hesitant to go in.

"What are we about to walk into?" Stan asked nervously.

"You'll see."

Bill pushed past Ben and opened the door. The group seemed to flinch in shock at what they saw. Bev and I exchanged similar sighs of relief. Eddie put a hand over his mouth, gagging.

"Oh god. Oh god." Eddie stumbled back between me and Bev.

"You see it?"

Everyone nodded, dumbstruck, "What happened?"

"The sink. It came out from there. My dad couldn't see it, (Y/n) could. I thought we were going crazy."

"You're not g-going crazy. I saw somethi-ing too," Bill assured, "I saw Georgie."

"Like a ghost?" Eddie asked from behind his hand.

"N-no. He tried to get me to go into the basement with him. It wasn't just him either. I saw this other... I don't know."

"What'd you see, Bill?" I pressed for an elaboration, for reassurance that I wasn't crazy.

"The clown, right?" Eddie, with wide eyes, asked the question that cemented my theory of it being one monster. An Eldritch monster.

Bill didn't say anything, which said it all. Eddie started to panic, and I put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go outside and keep Richie company?" Richie was the only one who could keep him calm, and knowing that I urged him to go outside, and he eagerly rushed out.

"We can't leave it like this," Bill motioned to the bathroom.

"Then let's get to it," I clapped once, "What have you got in terms of cleaning supplies?"

We raided Bev's cleaning closet, full of rags, buckets, and cleaning sprays. With a snap of my fingers, none of them would run out. Getting water from the kitchen sink, we set up in the bathroom and got started.

The floors were first so we could walk around. They were the easiest to clean since it was both a flat surface and partially cleaned already from people walking around. After that, was a thorough cleaning of everything else.

"This is miserable," I mumbled to Stan, nose scrunching up as we worked on the far wall.

"I can handle anything. I could handle seeing Georgie in the basement, but I can _not_ handle how dirty everything is."

"I thought Eddie was supposed to be the germaphobe," I joked, laughing when Stan shot me a look, "I get it. This much blood would make anyone queasy."

Bucketful after bucketful of water was poured into the bathtub. Cleaning the entire bathroom took nearly two hours, and by the end of it, we had several garbage bags full of destroyed rags. I'd be sure to replace them before we left. Finally, Stanley and I picked up the garbage bags and left to throw them away. Ben trailed just behind us with the buckets so we could dry them out.

"This is all crazy," Stan said as he threw the bags into the dumpster outside of the building, across the alley from where Richie and Eddie were having a quiet conversation, similar to me and Stan.

"There's a lot more to the world than we realize," I told him conspiratorially, "Maybe this is just like that, you know? I mean, haven't you seen anything?"

Stan was silent for a few seconds, "Yeah, I did. But I thought it was an epileptic fit or something- I don't know. None of this can be real. It's _impossible_!"

"I saw something too, you know. Maybe it isn't real, but if it isn't that means we're all going crazy together."

We picked up our bikes and waited for the other three in comfortable silence. They came around the front, and we decided that we should go to the Barrens to talk over what was happening and get out of the city for a bit.

The ride was relatively short, with Bill leading the pack as per usual, with Ben and Bev in the back, Eddie and Richie just in front of them, and Stan and I behind Bill. When we got closer to the path leading to the river, Bill hopped off his bike and we followed his lead. Without the sound of gears and peddling, it filled the air with a silence full of mixed emotions.

"What's wrong, Bill?" I asked, noticing his far-away look.

"All that blood at Bev's place, and she s-said her folks didn't see any of it... Last night at my house, with Georgie and the water, my Dad just acted like everything was normal... I think if you're a grown-up-"

"You can't see the Eld- ah, It. You can't see It." I caught myself before calling it an Eldritch. No normal teen would know what that was.

"That's why the cops won't help, our parents, teachers..."

We slowly came to a stop when we saw Victor Criss' Trans-Am parked on the side of the road.

"We should-"

"Wait," Bill pointed out an abandoned bike on the side of the road, "Isn't that Mike's?"

Mike lived just outside of Derry on a farm with his grandfather. He was homeschooled. Everyone knew _of_ him, but not many people actually _knew_ him. And based on Bowers' common racist remarks and the fact that Mike wasn't white...

"We have to help him!" Bev exclaimed.

"We do?"

"If we don't, who will? That could be any one of us."

Any one of us except me, because if Bowers ever tried to hurt me I would hex him so hard he would taste his feet for ten years. But the others didn't know that, so I took the lead and jumped into the grass off the road, running to the river's edge. Sure enough, Bowers and his gang were beating the shit out of Mike on the other side.

"Asshole," Bev stood next to me, picked up a rock, and threw.

The rock hit its mark with perfect precision, right in Bowers' face. It created a nasty gash, but it served him right.

"Holy shit," Richie stopped behind us.

"Nice throw," Stan complimented.

"Thanks. But don't act so surprised."

"Run!" Bill yelled to Mike while Bowers was still distracted by his wound. Mike pushed off Bowers and got back to his feet, racing across the river to join our group.

Something clicked within me, like if you'd found a puzzle piece long lost. Energy buzzed around us. Through me, to Bev, around to Ben, Bill, Stan, Richie, Eddie, and Mike. A field all our own. A Circle. A non-magic Circle. They were one in a million. I didn't have one with the Party and always wrote it off because it was nearly impossible for non-magic users to create a Circle- a bond unable to be broken by even death.

"Rock war!" Richie yelled, getting pegged with a rock immediately after.

Blessed with an endless amount of rocks in front of us, all of us rapidly picked them up and threw them out with lucky precision- precision that didn't even require a spell. It was weird, but not using magic to get revenge on someone felt nice. Normal.

It was a brutal battle, with both sides receiving bruises, but thanks to our advantage in numbers, we won in the end- leaving Bowers half-unconscious and Victor and Belch running for the hills.

"Go suck your dad, asshole!" Richie yelled when we were finally done.

Mike followed us back up to hill towards the main road, tentative, but already comfortable. He knew we were meant to be together as a group too.

"Thanks but you shouldn't have done that. He'll be after you now too."

"Bowers? He's always after us."

"I-I guess that's one thing we all have in common."

"Yeah, Homeschool. Welcome to the Losers Club."

~*~

The rest of June and the start of July was almost blissfull. Nobody else experienced anything similar to our first few visions of fear, or at least, no one made an effort to bring the memories back up. Suddenly, it was the Fourth of July, and our group had plans- our newest member included.

After a confusing phonecall with Will where I tried to explain how we met Mike while also differentiating from The Party's Mike, I started calling The Party's Mike by his last name. I may have met him first, but my bond with Mike Hanlon was that of a Circle. He deserved to have the first name privilege.

All of us were on our way to Monument Square when Bill stopped in an alley, staring at a missing poster.

"Look, they pile on top of each other- forgotten," he showed off three posters stacked on top of each other.

Gaze wandering, it landed on Richie attempting to steal a trumpet from a band player passing through with the parade.

"Richie," I hissed, "Get your ass over here!"

The band player snatched their trumpet back and stomped off. Richie waltzed back, giving a smirk to Eddie when he handed him his ice cream. Rolling my eyes, I turned back to the rest of the group, who had snapped out of their stupor and walked to Monument Square.

All of us settled at a picnic table, the only thing that could fit all of us if four of us sat on the actual tabletop and the other four took the bench.

"I was thinking about It. Ironworks explosion in 1904. Bradley Gang in '32. The Black Spot in '59. And now with Georgie, Dorsey and the rest... It seems like this bad stuff happens nearly every thirty years..." Ben explained, bringing up the topic the rest of us had been skirting around for nearly three weeks.

"So what, this town is cursed?" Stan questioned.

"That's what my grandfather thinks," Mike started, "You guys know what a haunt is?"

"You mean like in a 'who-ya-gonna call' sense?"

"No, not like that. A haunt can also mean a feeding ground for animals... Or for something else... My grandfather told me he thinks all the bad things that happen in this town are caused by one thing- An evil thing- that feeds off the people of Derry..."

"But It can't be one thing. We're all seeing something different," Stan argued, ever the rational one of the group. Maybe that was why I like him so much, I mused because he evened me out. Me with my magic and neverending knowledge of the impossible, and him with his OCD and rationality.

"There's these things called Eldritch Monsters," I said quietly. If I didn't tell them, they'd find out- no matter how rare information on them was, "They're these godly beings that don't have the need to follow rules because they create them. Most of them aren't good or evil. But there's a rare few... It is using our worst fears against us. That isn't a coincidence."

They all stared at me curiously, but didn't have the chance to ask further questions because Bill started talking, "I guess that's why I'm seeing Georgie..."

"I saw a walking infection. What'd you see, Mike? Anything?"

"Hands. Lots of hands, melted together by fire... you know that burned down house? I used to live there. Then the fire happened, and I was outside while my parents were in. They were pounding on the door trying to get to me. The firemen said that it was so hot their hands..." I knew Mike lived with his grandfather, but I didn't know his backstory was so unfortunate.

"I saw a woman," Stan said vaguely.

"Was she hot?" Richie asked.

Stan snapped back, "No Richie, she wasn't hot."

"I was almost set on fire," I kept the details of my story vague just like Stan did, but for a different reason, "I couldn't get back to Percy, and I was alone watching him. It started raining just in time."

"What about you, Richie? What are you afraid of?"

"Clowns."

"Well, that's really unfortunate."


	6. Devil

"We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell." (Oscar Wilde)

🔮

**Chapter Five - Devil**

🔮

A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. It is difficult to specify a particular definition of any complexity that will cover all of the traditions, beyond that it is a manifestation of evil.

The history of this concept intertwines with theology, mythology, psychiatry, art, and literature, maintaining validity, and developing independently within each of the traditions. It occurs historically in many contexts and cultures and is given many different names.

The devil itself doesn't necessarily exist, it's an entity created by belief, made by a different entity altogether. Just as god is a belief in universal fate and so on. And yet, every time I passed the Neibolt house, it felt as though I was passing Hell itself. The feeling that shook me to my very core was exactly the same as when It almost set me on fire.

So I felt pretty okay with complaining the day Ben called us all to meet just down the road from the Neibolt house.

"Why do we need to meet here on the hottest day of the year, right down the road from the devil house," I groaned, leaning against my bike handles.

We should have been at the quarry, spending the entire day in the water to escape the heat like we'd been doing for the past week and a half.

"I thought Richie was the dramatic one," Stan teased, reflecting on me making fun of him for being a germaphobe.

"Haha."

"Trust me," Ben smiled confidently, "You'll want to see this."

He led us off the road to a path leading into the forest, one that led to neither the barrens nor the quarry. But Ben seemed sure of where we were going, so we faithfully followed, pulling our bikes alongside us. Finally, he stopped, stomped twice on the ground, and disappeared.

I thought I knew the town of Derry, even if I hadn't lived there as long as the others. But Ben was on another level. I realized that as I climbed down an old wooden ladder into an underground clubhouse of sorts.

"What the dick is this? How'd you build it?" Richie questioned, coming down behind me.

" _When_ did you build it?" Bill corrected.

"Here and there I guess. It was already dug out for something so I only had to reinforce the walls and get some wood for the top door and that's pretty much it. Pretty good for my first time, huh?" Ben slapped a wooden pole, and a wood panel fell off the ceiling with a loud crash.

"Now that's a cool feature. What happens when you put your hand on the other pillar, Professor?"

"Oh you see, this is _exactly_ why there are safety codes. Why we have permits," Eddie panicked, rushing around frantically, "This place is a death trap. You understand that?"

"It's a work in progress, Eddie."

"Just so you know, if I get hurt you are liable unless- what is this? The witch to an iron maiden?"

"That's a lantern," I deadpanned. Eddie was ever the panicker, but without him, we'd probably be dead, what with all of his medical knowledge from a suspiciously overbearing mother. I suspected Munchausen by Proxy, but I'd have to actually meet her to figure it out.

"What is that? A horse hitch? When do you ever sit down? Oh, this is cool," Eddie picked up a paddle ball.

"That was like three dollars so be careful."

"I could have fun with this," Eddie began rapidly hitting the ball against the paddle, turning to Stan who was standing beside him, "Hey Stan, you see this?"

"Can you not?" Stan leaned away as to not get hit.

"What are you gonna do? You can't break the magic of the paddle ball!" It hit Stan in the face and the string snapped, sending the ball across the room. "Oh good going fucknut, you broke his thing."

" _I_ broke it?"

"Yeah, you broke it with your face. And I'm not putting my fucking hand down there to get the ball."

"Boys," I pinched the bridge of my nose, my previous frustration with the plans for the day gone, "Calm down and appreciate what Ben did for us. It's like a secret lair! Just think of what we could do with this. We should come back tomorrow with some cool stuff. A radio, books-"

"A hammock!" Richie beamed.

"Yeah!" I encouraged, actually excited for the prospect of having a place to hang out with my Circle. It would bring us even closer together, cementing the bond that had been created. Though none of them knew _that_ part of my excitement, they still got excited with me, "Tomorrow we'll all come back with something to contribute!"

~*~

Sure enough, the next day we all came back with our backpacks full of goodies. Richie brought his boombox and a hammock, Eddie brought a first aid kit, Bill brought a bucket full of comics, Ben brought more supplies to fix up the clubhouse, Bev brought pillows and makeup because all of us were willing to get dressed up for fun, Mike brought thick wool blankets for sleepovers, I brought non-perishables and books, and Stan brought-

"The fuck is this?"

"It's so you don't get spiders stuck in your hair when you're down here," Stan stated blandly, frowning when Richie threw away the shower cap he brought.

"Stanley, we're not afraid of fucking spiders," Richie sassed, eyes widening when he saw that the rest of us had already put the caps on, "I stand corrected."

"That's a first," Bev put a cigarette between her lips, smiling brightly. In the clubhouse, the troubles of the real world didn't exist. It was just us having fun, being a group that could support each other through problems realistic and mystical.

"Touche."

Walking over to Stan, I pulled his shower cap over his eyes, giggling when he breathed out a frustrated huff and pulled it away from his eyes. He pulled at my cap and snapped the elastic, making me jerk back and slap his chest.

"Jerk."

"You did it first," he shot back childishly, but the smile on his face revealed his happiness. Cute. It made me flush and turn away, realizing that we'd just been flirting with each other.

"You're awfully good at this, new kid."

"You think so? I was actually in the summer program at Bar Harbor. I was thinking about applying for college there."

"I'll do that. I'll do anything to get the hell out of Derry," Richie grumbled, letting out an "Oof!" When Eddie plopped on the hammock on top of him.

"Man, when I graduate I'm going to Florida," Mike smiled, his eyes in a far off place.

"What's in Florida?"

"I don't know. I guess it's just a place I always wanted to go."

"Get ready to act eighty. I'm sure you'll get _all_ the grandma's, Mike," Richie joked, flipping another page in his comic.

"Do you guys think we'll still be friends when we're older?" Stan sobered the mood with a question only I knew the answer to.

No matter how far we went, what happened between us, or what tried to get in the way, the Circle would never be broken. It would follow us in our current life and onto the next one, just as it had in the past. Reaching over, I pushed down my embarrassment and grabbed his hand. He needed the support, the reassurance that we'd always be there.

"What? Wh-why wouldn't we be?" Bill questioned.

"Do any of your parents still hang out with their friends from high school? Things might be different then. We all might be different."

"Fate always finds a way to bring people together," I assured him, "No matter what happens, we're stuck together. The universe wouldn't let the Losers Club fall apart, now would it?"

That gained a smile. Bev reached over and turned up the radio, prompting all of us to move on to a happier mindset. One where we danced around the crowded space of the clubhouse like it was the dancefloor at prom. One where all we were was normal kids. Where I wasn't a witch, where Castor was lying outside in the grass, where I could have a normal crush without the fear of losing him because of my bloodline.

~*~

Bill called us together three days later to meet in his garage, not the clubhouse like we had been. I left Castor at home to help my mom with Percy, who had a fever. If she wanted me home then she'd send Castor to find me.

Bill had a projector set up, along with a map of Derry on the wall across from it- a map of the sewers. I knew what was going on as soon as I parked my bike, the third one to arrive behind Bev and Richie.

Soon, Ben, Mike, Eddie, and Stanley pulled in as well, prompting Bill to start up the projector, putting in a slide that Ben handed him.

The Old Map of Derry overlayed with the Sewer Map, "Look. Th-there's the Ironworks. There's the Black Spot. Everywhere It happened is all connected by the sewers and they all meet up at-"

"The wellhouse."

"It's in the house on Neibolt street..." Stan whispered.

That was the bad feeling. Every puzzle piece fell together, completing the hellish landscape that had been forming in my mind. For hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, the Eldritch monster had been hiding in that place, coming out every 27 to feed on the people of Derry. Hearing a small hiss behind me, I turned to see Eddie taking a puff from his inhaler.

"You mean that creepy-ass house where all the junkies and hobos like to sleep?" Richie elaborated.

"I hate that place. It always feels like it's watching you," Bev shuddered.

"That's where I saw It. Where I saw the clown."

"Th-that's where It lives."

Frantically, Eddie rushed over to the wall and ripped the map off, "Can we stop talking about this? I can barely breathe! This is summer - we're kids- I can barely breathe I'm having a fucking asthma attack! I am not doing this!"

"I agree with Eds-"

"No put the map back-" All of us flinched when the projector tray rotated, so it went back to being a white square of light shining on Eddie. "What happened?"

It rotated again. And again. And again. Mike moved forward to try to stop it from malfunctioning but paused when it decided on a certain picture. One of the Denbrough Family in happier times- when Georgie was alive.

The tray continued to spin, repeating the same slide, slowly zooming in. First on Georgie then on Bill's mother, her hair blowing in the wind and covering her face. Closer and closer, until you could only see his mother.

"What the fuck?"

"Turn it off!" Bev cried as Bill's mom's hair began to sway.

Stan pulled out the cord, and it didn't do shit. Finally, the hair was out of her face, but it wasn't that of a mother. It was that of the clown from all our nightmares. It raised It's hand and started waving frantically.

"What the fuck is that?"

"What the fuck?" All of us stood and backed up. Hands twitching at my sides, I was ready to fight for my friends, no matter the cost.

"Turn it off!" Bev screamed again. Mike kicked it this time. The projector fell to the floor, the picture right next to Stan.

Leaping forward I grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Every time the slide switched it sent the room into total darkness, despite the fact that there were windows in the garage.

_Click. Click. Click._

He was there. Giant, crawling across the garage toward us. His teeth were the size of my arm, ready to tear into our flesh to sustain himself before his next massacre. All of us screamed like no tomorrow, tripping over ourselves to get away from the terror in front of us. Stan and I were clutching each other like lifelines. Bev was separated from the group.

"Bev!" I yelled when It targeted her. Throwing out my hand, It seemed to jerk back. The spell I shot out should have thrown him through the wall, but I couldn't account for his size. No spell could. His head snapped to me. I resisted the urge to egg him on further, much more confident that I should have been. Lifting my free hand again - the other holding Stan's - I was prepared to die trying-

Light flooded the room. Turning around, I sighed in relief as Ben pushed open the garage door. It was gone, scared away by the lack of darkness. Bev, nearly crying, rushed over to Ben for comfort. Stan, instead of letting go of my hand, squeezed it even tighter and in response, I turned to him and pulled him into a hug.

As my adrenaline wore off, the awareness of what I did, and what I was about to do, made my heart drop. Not only did I cast a spell in public, but I was ready to magic fight It to the death. That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that I still felt the same way. With or without adrenaline, if it came down to keeping our secret or saving my Circle, I'd choose my Circle every time.

"We're okay," I whispered, unsure if it was to reassure Stan or myself or both of us in a completely different sense.

"No jokes this time, Rich?" Stanley asked quietly from over my shoulder.

Richie didn't respond. He had nothing to say for the first time in his life. The uneasy silence was broken by Bill.

"Let's go."

"Go? Where?"

"Neibolt. That's where Georgie is. We have to go," Bill said it like it was obvious.

"After that? No. No way," Stan and I finally pulled away from each other.

"Fine. Then don't," Bill picked up his bike, hopped on, and rode off.

Wanting nothing more than to go home, eat some food, take a nap, and read some books, I picked up my bike and was the first to go after Bill. He was going to get himself killed going against It by himself. Not trying to toot my own horn, but I was the best chance we had. I had no clue how to fight an Eldritch, but magic itself came from the same universal energy that Eldritches were made from. If I was strong enough, I'd be an okay match against It.

Three streets and four turns down we reached Neibolt, just behind Bill.

Bev stopped just behind me, "Bill! You can't go in there. This is crazy. Someone could get hurt."

"I already said you don't have to come in with me. But what happens when another Georgie goes missing? Or another Dorsey? Or one of us? Are you just going to pretend it isn't happening like everyone else in this town? Because I can't. Even if I wanted to I can't. I go home and all I see is that Georgie isn't there. His clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animals but Georgie... He isn't...." Bill pointed at the house behind him, "So walking into that house... For me, it's easier than walking into my own."

"Wow," Richie muttered.

"What?" Ben questioned.

"He didn't even stutter once."

It was true. And it only cemented both Bill's resolve and mine in my mind. We were going into that house, whether we liked it or not. Going up a single step, I turned back to the Losers, "We'll draw straws."

Finding six sticks in the yard, I measured and snapped a few of them, handing them out to the others. Richie and Eddie would be coming in with me and Bill. Bev groaned in distaste at being left out, and the two boys turned green when they realized they'd have to go _in._

Turning to join the others to go inside, a shaking hand caught my wrist. Giving Stan the most confident smile I could muster, I whispered, "I'll be okay."

"What makes you so sure of that?" His voice was just as quiet as mine. Not for the sake of privacy, but to keep the quiver out of it.

Leaning in as if sharing I secret, I revealed, "I'm magical. No germs or clowns are gonna touch me while I'm in there."

Leaving it at that, I walked up the steps with the other boys and stepped inside. It was as disgusting on the inside as it seemed on the outside. I knew that the people of Derry couldn't take it down if they tried, but the thought of watching it be blown up was highly appealing in favor of it remaining as a stain on Derry's map.

"I can't see shit," Richie immediately complained, "You guys are lucky we weren't measuring dicks."

"Richie!"

 _Slam!_ The front door slammed behind us. Classic horror movie scene. Eddie took another puff off his inhaler.

"This place stinks. I can smell it," I grimaced. The smell was putrid, rotting wood and rotting flesh creating a rotten fucking melody.

"Don't breathe through your mouth. Then you'll be eating it."

Eddie gagged loudly. Smacking Richie's arm, I gave him a warning glance. At that point, he was going out of his way to get into Eddie's head. The house was already doing that for all of us, we didn't need more to overthink about.

Walking to the living room, Richie plucked a single piece of paper from a cluster of vines coming through the cracked window. Us other three followed curiously.

"What?" Bill asked, noting Richie's unusual silence.

"It says I'm missing."

"You're not missing you're just-"

"Police department, City of Derry. That's my shirt, that's my hair, that's my face!" Richie was becoming increasingly frantic.

"Calm down this isn't real."

"That's my name, that's me, that's me! It says it! Why the fuck am I missing?" He was screaming at that point. Two minutes in and one of our people was already having a breakdown.

Snatching the paper from his hands, I crushed it into a tight ball and threw it across the room while Bill and Eddie calmed Richie down.

"Tha-that isn't real. It's playing tricks on you."

"Hello?" The voice came from upstairs. It sounded like a teenage girl. Cautiously approaching the stairs, the calls continued, "Help me please."

Bill led the way up the first flight of stairs. My heart pounded harder in my chest with each step we took. I was scared it was going to damage my ribs with how hard it was beating against its confines. At the landing was an open door at the end of a long hallway. In the doorway, was a girl.

"Betty Ripsom," I realized.

She looked at us, coughing and wheezing up blood. Suddenly she was dragged off by a hidden force, her scream echoing throughout the house. Against better rational judgment, we walked towards the door. Bill and I were in the front, Richie behind us and Eddie behind him. We didn't notice that Eddie stopped following until our trio passed the threshold of the room and the door shut behind us.

"Guys? Guys!" Eddie screeched from the other side.

"Eddie?" I reached for the doorknob, jiggling it to no avail. I shouldn't have expected anything else, "Eddie! Eddie, can you hear me?"

"Shit," Bill swore from behind me.

"Stand back," stepping back, I pointed my hand at the door, more than ready to bust the thing wide open until another one slammed behind me. Whipping around, I groaned upon seeing Richie gone as well, through the other room, "Don't tell me-"

"Richie's stuck in there!"

Looking between both doors, I knew one wasn't more important than the other, "Bill, I'm about to do something that'll make you-"

"Witch! Witch! Witch!" Screaming, I nearly ran into Bill from running away so fast. A haggard old woman stood in the corner, pointing a gnarled finger at me, "They must burn you or drown you! Burn you and your family!"

"(Y/n)," Bill said, unsure of what was happening.

Simply giving Bill a look, I turned to the woman. With a flick of my left wrist up and down, she was removed from existence. She never existed in the first place, so it didn't require a lot of work.

"What the f-fuck?" Bill yelled in shock, "Are- are you on-one of them?"

"No. I'll explain later, I just need you to trust me," the knowledge that I just broke one of our cardinal rules hadn't set in yet. I turned to Richie's door and set my hand against it. As soon as my palm touched it, it flew open. Just in the nick of time, too, Richie was inches away from being eaten by It.

"Let's get out of here," Bill stated the obvious.

The matress in the room across from us jiggled, and I knew it wasn't going to be good. Eddie's head popped up, decayed with black goo oozing from his mouth, "Wanna play loogie?"

The ooze seeped through the mattress and into the floor, rapidly nearing us. Whatever it was, smoke was rising up from it, burning through the rotting wood floor. It'd set us on fire, that fear was for me.

Turning around to leave, we were faced with three doors labeled "Not Scary At All", "Scary", and "Very Scary". Bill went to the Not Scary one. When he tore it open, Betty Ripsom was inside. Well, half of Betty Ripsom. I slammed the door shut.

"It's not real. All of this is illusions," I reminded the boys. When I opened the door again, the hallway greeted us.

Pounding down the flight of stairs, we followed Eddie's screams into the kitchen. It had cornered him, taking advantage of his oddly angled arm, but as soon as we were in the room, It stopped and turned to us.

"This isn't real enough for you?" It seemed offended, "I'm not real enough for you?"

"Holy shit."

"Get behind me," I pushed the boys behind me, and they had no problems with it.

"It was real enough for Georgie. Hahahaha!" He charged. Before I could even think of a spell, a metal fence pike was through his eye, Bev on the other end. Our savior in overalls.

The rest of the Losers Club filed in behind her, all of them struck dumb by the sight of It, already recovering from the stab wound. Having a chance, we all moved around It to kneel down next to Eddie, wincing at his obviously broken arm. Then It grunted, neck cracking.

Cracking my knuckles, I knew it was now or never. I'd already revealed myself to Bill, and he'd tell the others. An exception to the rule could be made for my Circle, right? They were all technically life partners, just in a different sense. My eyes trailed to Stan and I thought of my fear. Of him telling me to burn for who I was. No matter what he or any of the others said, I was going to protect them with everything I had.

"You won't float, (Y/n)-girly. You'll burn!" It recovered in the milisecond of hesitation I had and charged. Everyone else scattered, but I held my ground.

"(Y/n)!" They all screamed, probably assuming it was the end of me.

It was through the wall before the Losers Club stopped screaming. Panting, I watched in relief as It took the hint that there was no chance of eating any children that day and slunk off into the darkness.

"What the fuck?" Everyone was screaming in confusion instead of fear.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Is that why that woman was calling you a witch?"

"Are you an illusion too?"

"This is so fucking weird."

"I knew it! I knew it with all the plants and Cator and the stuff in your closet!"

Not wanting to take away precious time to explain it, I kneeled next to Eddie, giving Richie a raised brow. Nodding once in understanding, he reached for Eddie's arm.

"No, no. Don't fucking touch me. I swear to god. Don't fucking touch- Ah!" Richie snapped Eddie's arm back into place.

In the middle of it all came Castor, trotting through the rubble like we hadn't just fought against an Eldritch for our lives. He was concerned of course, but told me that my mom wanted me home to take care of Percy while she made dinner.

"I don't fucking care, we need to go!"

All of us were out of that house in five seconds tops, jumping over each other to get into the yard, then on our bikes and on the road again. All of us immediately knew that our first stop would be Eddie's house since he broke his arm.

Needless to say, his mother wasn't a pleasent woman. She was large, loud, and scared me almost as much as Bev's dad. She had a vice grip on Eddie's good arm and marched toward her car on a warpath as soon as she opened the front door.

"You, you did this!" She fumed, pointed at all of us as a collective group, "You know how delicate he is."

"We were attacked, Mrs. K," Bill tried to explain.

"Don't! Don't even try to blame someone else..." She was pulling all sorts of garbage out of her purse, until she found her keys, dropping them.

"Let me help," I knelt down to pick up her keys, flinching when she grabbed them before I could.

"Back! Get back! What are two girls even doing with a gang of boys like this?" It was then that she noticed me, and I saw a conflict going on in her eyes, "You're from that new family, aren't you? Your mother has treated Eddie more times than I can count. I can see you're the rotten apple on the tree, hanging with someone like Ms. Marsh. I don't want dirty girls like you two touching my son."

"Mrs. K, I swear-"

"No! You're monsters. Reckless, selfish monsters. Eddie's done with you, you hear! Done." She shoved Eddie into the car - none too gently - got in, and sped off, leaving us all stunned, watching them leave in the road.

"We know where the well is," Bill turned back to us, "We'll need to go back. Prepared this time-"

"No!" Stan yelled, voice cracking with emotion, "No next time, Bill! You're insane!"

"Why? We all know no one else is going to do anything," Bev defended.

"Eddie was nearly killed! And look at this motherfucker, he's leaking Hamburger Helper!" Richie pointed out an injury I didn't know Ben had.

"We can't pretend it's going to go away. Ben, you said it yourself. It comes back every twenty-seven years."

"Fine. I'll be forty and far away from here," Ben shot back, "I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town too."

"Because I wanna run towards something. Not away."

"I'm sorry, who invited Molly Ringwald into the group?" Richie snapped, causing Bev to stoically flip him off.

"Richie," that was the one thing I spoke up for. The entire situation was terrifying, confusing, and I just exposed the magic world to a bunch of teenagers. Everything was very bipolar at the moment, "Come on."

"Let's face facts. Real-world. Georgie is dead. Stop trying to get us all killed too."

Bill grabbed Richie by his shirt, "Georgie's not dead!"

"You couldn't save him. But you can still save yourself."

"T-T-T-Take it back! You're scared. We all are. But take that back!" Bill delivered the first shove, Richie shoved back. Then the shoves devolved into punches. A pounding of pent up anger, pent up fear.

"You're just a bunch of losers! Fuck off!" Mike and Stan pulled Richie to his feet, holding him back.

"Enough!" I had enough of their bickering, trying to think over the pressing issue. Throwing my hands out in what was meant to be a gesture to keep them away from each other, I gasped when the simply flew apart, "Holy shit, I'm sorry!" I made the hand motions without even realizing it.

"You have fucking witch powers and it makes you a freak and a loser!" Richie was again hauled to his feet by Mike and Stan, "How do we know that you aren't just the clown in disguise? You came here just before all of this started!"

"She's the only reason we survived in there!" Bill yelled, "What help were you, huh? Sc-screaming about a fucking poster!"

"What are you doing! Stop!" Bev finally calmed the group, just as I had attempted to do. Only she didn't worsen the situation by reminding them of another stressor, "This is what It wants. It wants to divide us. We were all together when we hurt it. Not just (Y/n), but when I stabbed it, too. _That's_ why we're still alive!"

"Yeah? Well, I plan to keep it that way," Richie marched over to his bike.

The pang in my chest wasn't from anything other than the Circle bending, the lines between us fraying.

"We're all fucking doomed," I grabbed my bike, pausing when I was in front of Bev and Bill, "I didn't want to move here at first, but it's my town too now and all of you are my friends. Whatever you want to do, however you want to die, I'll be there."

Stan was waiting for me a few feet away. We didn't say a word to each other while riding back to our neighborhood, but I felt better with him by my side all the same. It was a sign that no matter how skeptical he could be, he wouldn't try to light me on fire. It was the best thing in my life at the moment, what with the Loser's Club feeling nonexistent.

When I got home my parents were waiting in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones as if they sensed I was going to arrive in the middle of their conversation. They turned to me, and I immediately knew that I was in trouble.

"Where were you?" My dad started the scolding, "Your mom sent Castor to get you nearly an hour ago. She needed you here."

"There's something going on in Derry," I sat at the table across from them. They were the only adults in the town who would believe me, who would help, "I think It's an Eldritch Abomination. It's been showing us our fears all summer and we went to the house on Neibolt-"

"The one that looks like it'll collapse any second? Why would you go somewhere so dangerous?" My mom had Percy in her arms, asleep.

"Because of the Eldritch, I just said that. _He's_ the one behind all the missing kids. He comes out every twenty-seven years to feast before hibernating again. He tried to kill us in the house today. I had to use magic to save me and the others-"

"Hang on, you used magic in front of non-users?" I caught my dad's attention for the wrong reason.

"That isn't the point!"

"Yes, it is. We'd try to understand if it was your friends from Hawkins or just Bev, but you've been friends with these people for what, a few weeks? You've put our entire society on the line-"

"To save our lives!"

"Right," my mom was skeptical, "(Y/n), people at the hospital talk. All of your friends, they're boys."

"And? I can be friends with boys, Mom." I hated where the conversation was going. They needed to _listen_ to me.

"Of course you can, but maybe that played into why you potentially started up the Witch Hunts again. You have a crush on one of the boys and tried to impress him. I understand how it feels to like someone, but-"

"I don't want to say it again, I saved our lives. I could be dead right now! Kids are dying and they're going to keep dying unless we do something. Together, we might be strong enough to kill him! The notes that grandma left me in the grimoire said that-"

My parents shared an even more frustrated look, "So that's what this is about? Feeling close to your grandmother?"

"What? No. All of this is actually happening. These kids-"

"(Y/n), normal humans kill each other. I know it's hard to believe, but that's what's probably happening here. Someone going after kids and killing them. And it's scaring us to death that you stay out an hour after we tell you too. All of these 'illusions' are probably a sprite or a malicious spirit. Eldritch monsters aren't evil, we don't even know if they exist."

"Grandma's notes make me think it's an Eldritch, and I trust what she-"

"We left Hawkins because of your grandmother!" My dad finally roared. Eyes widening, I felt sick to my stomach. Sighing, he ran a hand over his face and continued, "She was losing her mind, going on and on about some big destiny, and ancient rituals. She wanted to train you like a warrior when you just needed to focus on being a kid."

"Dad, we're magic users. All of that shit is a normal Tuesday! Why would you pull me away from my life for that? Is that why I couldn't go to my _best friend's_ funeral? I don't care if Will wasn't dead, I needed my friends and they needed me, and you said no because of your _Mom_?" My frustration was turning into anger. Not only were they not listening to me, but they uprooted my life because of some things my grandma said?

"The destiny revolved around you and an Eldritch, and some other people. It was all about training you perfectly so you wouldn't die, and figuring out what your extra talent was. Then she became obsessed with Eldritches. It was all she could speak about. She went crazy! We didn't want that to rub off on you, but obviously, it's too late for that."

"At least she listened to me! All of the adults in Derry act like nothing is wrong. I didn't think you'd be like that too!"

"We _do_ listen, honey," my mother tried to soothe both me and Percy as he stirred in his sleep.

"No, you just don't want to admit that you're wrong! With a flick of your wrist, you can turn a bird into a teacup, but you won't trust your own daughter? You took me away from my life, and now that I'm trying to save my new one, you're stopping me from doing that too? Stop being so obsessed with the rules and keeping up appearances, and think about your goddamn daughter for once in your fucking lives!"

Storming off to my room, I slammed and locked the door behind me- just after Castor trotted in. I'd have to leave soon enough to take a shower, but until then I'd be alone. I couldn't count Castor, because no matter how well I could communicate with him, and how deeply we were connected, it would never compare to human conversation.

So I was alone. Alone with my thoughts. Alone with my tears. Alone, because I couldn't even tell myself that my Circle would always be there anymore.


	7. Baku

"The world at night, for much of history, was a very dark place indeed." (Bill Bryson)

🔮

**Chapter Six - Baku**

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Baku are Japanese supernatural beings that are said to devour dreams and nightmares. According to legend, they were created by the spare pieces that were left over when the gods finished creating all other animals.

Legend has it, that a person who wakes up from a bad dream can call out to baku. A child having a nightmare in Japan will wake up and repeat three times, "Baku-san, come eat my dream." Legends say that the baku will come into the child's room and devour the bad dream, allowing the child to go back to sleep peacefully. However, calling to the baku must be done sparingly, because if he remains hungry after eating one's nightmare, he may also devour their hopes and desires as well, leaving them to live an empty life. The baku can also be summoned for protection from bad dreams prior to falling asleep at night.

The existence of the baku was widely disputed due to questions about whether it was a sole being, or a type of spirit that fed on dreams that simply gained a reputation. Either way, there were certain entities in the world that would assist in protecting someone from nightmares.

No one knew, but I had a talisman of baku in my nightstand drawer, and I always slept a little more soundly with the knowledge that it was there.

Bev was the first one to show up after the Losers split. That wasn't unusual, especially after the trauma we just went through. We read comics, listened to music, and talked through all of our problems. Most of them at that point revolved around the fears that It had been feeding on. But beyond that, was the secret I'd been keeping from her.

"We can't tell anyone but life partners, that's the rule," I explained to her over two bags of popcorn, me on my bed and her on the floor, "But the Losers Club formed a Circle-"

"What's a Circle?"

"It's like... soulmates in a way. In this life, the next, or lives before, we've been bonded together. It's unbreakable, no matter what happens. No clown or stupid fight will stop it."

"Sounds unrealistic," Bev chuckled sadly from the floor, "All of that magic shit you talked about? That's more believable than a friendship that can't be broken."

Flipping to my side to face her, I asked enthusiastically, "But don't you feel it? It felt like Richie and Bill were going to kill each other out there, but you know that this will pass, right?"

Scrunching up her nose, Bev didn't seem sure what to think. Reaching out for her hand, I motioned for her to take mine. Without hesitation she grabbed it. Closing my eyes, I gave her hand a tight squeeze. Bev gasped from in front of me, but I had to keep my concentration.

"What do you see?" I questioned, voice a mere whisper. I knew what she saw, but I wanted to hear it from the perspective of someone who'd never experienced magic before.

"I see the connection. It's not a string but it's like a line... I've never seen anything like this. It goes from me to you and then out of the house. I'm assuming to the others guys. Shit..."

Pulling my hand back, I nodded once with a small smile, that turned to a frown quite quickly, "I trust you more than anything Bev, but you have to understand that you can't tell anyone about this. Our secrecy is our survival, and our survival is our strength. The old witch trials were real and killed a lot of us. Imagine what could happen now."

"Hey, I'm not gonna tell anyone. Who would I? I don't have any other friends," Bev joked, lightening the mood once again.

That night I had the first dream. One that the Sandman would never dare give to a child. I wasn't even in my own body. I was simply a bystander, watching an event happen without a presence within it.

_Derry, I knew the woods well. And yet, there was something different about them. Something... old. There were no city lights in the distance, no roads around the forest, just the stream, the forest, and the darkness._

_Then there was a woman, and I was in a home. An old cottage, I'd date it in the mid-1600s. Said woman rushed in and slammed the door as if trying to keep Satan himself out. She clutched a baby to her chest._

_She kneeled by dying embers in the heart, blowing on them, but a flame never caught. The baby started to fuss._

_"Hush now, shhh... it'll be-" the woman stopped, realizing that the small candle chandelier above her was spinning. As if some unnatural force caused its light to rotate around the room, like tiny primitive searchlights._

_A black silhouette flitted by the window. I wanted to warn the woman, prompt her to barricade the doors and protect herself and her child, but I wasn't there, I couldn't do anything about what was happening._

_"Please Devil, leave us be," the woman whispered, noticing the form at the window. It was jerking and twisting into different shapes, trying to decide on a form._

_The chandelier rotated perfectly, revealing It, naked, lithe, flesh pale and translucent, a half-formed imitation of a human. It opened his maw full of large razor-sharp teeth-_

_He was inside._

_As the chandelier spun clockwise, It's moves countered around the room. Each time the light hit his face, it was different. A man. A woman. A beast. A monster._

_"You mistake me woman. No mere devil, I am the Eater of Worlds." This wasn't the high, teasing voice of the clown. It was guttural, unnatural, the voice of a true Eldritch._

_"But my child, not my child... he is innocent."_

_"So you say."_

_The baby screamed. It smiled, "Beautiful fear..."_

_"I pray Thee, take me."_

_"I will. And then, him. And thy husband and the rest of thy children, and all the savages who brought you here. And when you all rot in the earth, I will pick thy bones dry until no meat is left to pick. And then I will seek out thy bones and consume thy souls until nothing is left but the weeds!" It paused, "Or you will occupy yourself otherwise and not interfere. I will take her and you will live, and those of thy other children -- in whom I take no interest. And you will thank me."_

_The woman looked down at her baby, and I knew that she was actually considering the offer. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't worth it. She wasn't making a deal with the Devil, she was doing something much, much worse._

_The door opened. A little boy, no older than 6, asked, "Mama?"_

_"No! Out! Now!" The woman screeched, prompting the little boy to run away._

_The woman turned back to It, to the darkness, and kissed her baby. She set it down. I screamed, and wailed, and begged her not to do it. Not to a child so young, so innocent. It could find other options, those who had sinned past the point of return._

_The baby bawled as I did. The woman cried, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."_

_She turned away, facing the dying embers. They seemed to glow brighter as- I didn't have the fortune of being able to turn away. Nor could I close my eyes as It crawled over to the baby and started to feast. A sharp cry from the baby was cut off by the first bite._

_But then I was granted a reprieve, and looked into the embers. They were different, and so was the woman. Three bright lights, drawing me in, pushing me through fear, denial, grief, acceptance, and nothing-_

Jerking up, I jumped off of my bed and ran down the hall to the bathroom. Throwing the door shut behind me I collapsed in front of the toilet and let loose, all the food I had eaten that night coming back up in a cacophony of disgust and confusion.

When I was finished, I flushed, and sat there for a bit longer, working on my breathing. When I felt that I wouldn't hyperventilate, I stumbled to the sink and rinsed my mouth with mouthwash twice.

"(Y/n), you okay?" Bev called quietly from the other side of the door.

Splashing cold water over my face, I deemed myself ready to face her. Opening the door, I broke down before either of us could process seeing the other. Bev caught me before I could reach the ground, supporting me until we got back to my room so I could sit on my bed.

Castor was sitting straight up waiting for me, asking the same questions that Bev was.

"What happened? Did you see It? Did he show you something?"

I nodded once, "I don't think I was supposed to see what I saw. It was like... like a snapshot from history. When he came up at some point during the 1600s. There was a mother and a baby, and he told her he would spare her and the other children if she gave up the baby. So she-" I stopped when I felt bile rising in my throat again.

"We'll stay up," Bev decided, wrapping a supportive arm around me. Castor settled in my lap, purring lowly as a sign of comfort. He was there for me, it was okay, "Who needs sleep, anyway?"

That night I took the talisman out of my drawer and did as the legend said, I called out to baku to come eat my nightmare. Bev watched me do it but didn't ask any questions about it. Nor did she question me further about my dream. We stayed up for another hour, but fell asleep on the floor next to each other.   
Baku eats nightmares, but I wasn't sure what he could do about snippets of history.

~*~

The next person to sleep over was Ben. He came over three days after Bev did, bringing a backpack of folders and books with him. He was curious, craving some information to quell his questions. Bev gave him my address, and window location.

I explained my abilities, as he explained further research on the history of Derry. Together, comparing notes and filling in holes, we were an unstoppable researching team.

The only reason he stayed over that night was because we were so absorbed in the world of comparing and cross-examining that we lost track of time. He assured me that his mom wouldn't care, and I assured him that my parents would never know. I hadn't talked to them much, and they didn't go out of their way to talk to me. They'd turned into Derry Adults.

That night we didn't talk about research, we talked about other things. He told me about all the towns he'd been to, his late father, and his overworked mother. I told him of my life in Hawkins, of the Party and of the DnD game he'd enjoy. He explained his crush on Bev, his willingness to step back and let Bill be with her if it made her happy. In return, I admitted my feelings for Stan. Outloud. For the first time.

"Soulmates aren't real, believe it or not, but if they were I'd wish Stan was mine," I sighed to the ceiling, hearing Ben hum in acknowledgment next to me, "We're polar opposites, y'know? But that's what's nice about it. I wouldn't be able to survive being with another magic user. So yeah, I like him... I like him a lot."

Ben was gone the next morning before I woke up, but on my nightstand was a silver dollar. Genuine, old, and one of the four Ben told me he kept at all times because of his father. It was a convenient fit for my heritage locket, though I knew I'd only be keeping it temporarily. It was an Artifact; Ben started the process and I cemented it with a spell.

Artifacts are items - clothing, coins, makeup - that are passed around a Circle to keep the bond strong. By having objects you share with each other, you're constantly connected on a physical level along with mental and spiritual. I'd give it to Bev next.

~*~

The next person to come over was Mike, tentatively knocking on my window as if he wasn't sure if he should be at my house. In layman's terms, he shouldn't have due to my parent's rules, but I wasn't giving a shit about what my parents thought at the time, so I let him in without hesitation.

He didn't really have an explanation for why he was there, he just was. I wasn't sure what to call it either, curiosity, fate, or coincidence. Either way, I could see the circle strengthening with each person. Maybe not overall, there was still too much strain between members, but the bond between me and the others was growing- which would enable my magic to help out a bit more.

I was used to explaining my magic by that point and went over the same rules and explanations that I had with Bev and Ben. As I expected, Mike promised not to tell anyone. Strangely, we bonded over our fear of fire for different reasons. Our fears had been the most similar out of the group, and though there were different sources for them, we were best suited to talk the other through them.

Both of us were knowledgeable about folklore as well, me because of my lessons and him because of his superstitious grandfather. We enjoyed exchanging stories and me telling him what ones were real and what ones were completely fictional.

We ate breakfast together the next morning after my dad left for work and my mom went to the store for groceries. Castor had fallen in love with him, and Mike was happy to meet Luna and Castor - Raven trailing my mom like usual. He left with a smile and a thank you.

~*~

A week later it was almost August, and Bill knocked on my front door.

"Who is it?" My mom asked from the kitchen.

"Girl Scouts," I called back, motioning for Bill to follow me quietly. Castor didn't like that I was lying when my mom was in the next room, but I didn't have a choice.

We settled in my room, and he was silent for a few moments before speaking.

"What the f-fuck are you?" It was malicious or meant to be rude, it was simple curiosity.

I laughed, and launched into my speech. Bill asked more questions than the others, but that was to be expected. He stretched the bounds of magic, asking about time travel and necromancy until I realized what he was after.

"I'm sorry," I finally said, causing him to tear up.

"I felt b-be-better when he left," Bill dropped his head to his hands, "I just did-didn't want t-t-t-o go into the rain. Richie was r-right."

"No, he wasn't. It's not your fault, it's that fucking clown who did it. He's been terrorizing this town for hundreds of years. If you went with Georgie then you'd be gone too, and we wouldn't be friends. The Losers Club wouldn't exist."

"I don't th-think it does anym-more."

"Trust me, Bill, we'll all come together again. Hang on, I'm gonna make us some tea."

My mom was still in the kitchen when I took out the teapot and two mugs. I decided on peppermint tea to calm Bill down. I waited in awkward silence for the water to boil and was quick to pour it into the cups when it was done.

"Is Bev here?" My mom asked, setting up Percy's high chair.

Pausing for a split second, I mumbled, "Yeah." And went to leave-

"(Y/n)," my mom seemed nervous, tentative, "Your dad has never been super close with his mom. Hell, he was closer to my parents before they passed. But... he does love her, and he loves you more than anything. We just want you to stay safe, and to lead a life where you don't have to worry about being killed because of your heritage."

Unsure of what to say, if I should try to convince her of Its existence again or not take the chance, I said, "I love you guys too." And went back to my room.

Bill and I drank our tea in comfortable silence, full of nothing but comfort and understanding for each other. He didn't spend the night, but he left through my window with the reassurance that if he ever needed to get away, I'd leave my window unlocked. However, in exchange for such a deal, I asked for his flannel.

"It'll be a new Artifact. You're so obsessed with them that you won't miss one," I spread the fabric out on my desk, "Besides, it'll be good for us to have something from our fearless leader."

I don't think he understood entirely, but he watched as I put the adaptation spell on the flannel so it would grow with us. Hanging it in my closet, I thought of who I'd pass it to first. Bev would get the coin, so maybe Stan or Mike.

"Thanks, and I'm glad you're willing to fight with me."

"Stutter a bit, won't you? You're too serious when you aren't," I joked with a smile, waving goodbye.

~*~

Richie and Eddie showed up together, which was something I wasn't prepared for due to two reasons. One, because Eddie should have been locked in his house with his crazy mother for the rest of his life. Two, because I was sure Richie wouldn't talk to me until we were all pulled together by fate again.

Unceremoniously throwing open my window, Richie gave Eddie a boost first before jumping into my room himself. Eyes wide, I set down the book I was reading and waited for an explanation. But all Richie had to say was: "Well shit, I thought you'd have cauldrons and dead cats hanging from the ceiling."

"What the fuck do you think witches actually do?" I scoffed, then recanted, "Wait, don't answer that. I'm ninety-nine percent sure you were gonna say-"

"Dance around naked in the moonlight," Richie finished with a smile, "What, you don't do that?"

"No. Watch yourself, Richie, now that you know about me I can hex you," I wiggled my finger, surprised by how quickly we'd fallen into our old routine of messing with each other when he'd cursed me out a few weeks before, "What are you two doing here?"

"Word on the street is that all the cool kids are coming here, and by that, I mean all the Losers in the town," Richie made himself at home on the foot of my bed. I pointed out the Bean Bag chair for Eddie, "I snuck Eddie out this morning. There's a soap opera marathon on, his mom wouldn't miss it even for her precious angel."

"Shut up, dude. If my mom finds out that I'm with you she'll kill me," Eddie complained.

"But you're still here, aren't you?" Richie shot back.

"Only to force you to apologize. You were an asshole," Eddie snapped, motioning between me and Richie.

Sighing in exasperation, Richie sat up and faced me, "I'm sorry about what I said. I was scared, and it was really fucking weird seeing you use magic after we almost died in that crack house. I was more mad at Bill than at you."

"It's alright, I get it," I forgave him without hesitation, "But you know you're gonna have to talk to him at some point?"

Richie laughed at that, "Yeah, right. I plan on never talking to him again if I can help it."

Eddie and I shared a look. Richie was lying through his teeth, and all of us were aware of it. But, we moved on and changed the subject anyway.

"So, what kind of spells are here? Any to make Eddie taller? Because he's tiny," Richie stood and wandered around my room, stopping to point at Castor and give a thumbs up, "Or do you need a potion for that? Maybe something to make his dick bigger."

"Beep beep, Richie!"

Later that night Eddie left so he would be home in time to get checked on by his mother. Both Richie and I offered to sign his cast so it wouldn't look so sad, but he pointed out that his mom would notice and flip out, so we left it stark white.

Richie wanted to stay the night, and I wasn't going to argue with it so I set up the normal sleepover nest on the floor and raided the kitchen for snacks to occupy us.

"You really like him, don't you?" I asked over a carton of ice cream, passing it down to Richie for his turn with it.

"What are you talking about?" Richie's voice raised nervously, "Who? I don't even like dick, that's disgusting."

"It's not disgusting, it's the way some people are." I shrugged, moving on to a bag of crackers, "Y'know people used to burn witches at the stake for being different. There's always gonna be hate in the world, but we moved on, rebuilt, and look what life I have now."

"A small town one, with absent parents and loser friends," Richie grumbled.

"An amazing one," I corrected, "With parents who try their best and friends that I would die for... Is that what It showed you? You never told us what you saw."

Sighing, Richie plopped back on his pillow, shoving a large spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, "He knows my 'dirty little secret'."

Scoffing, I giggled, "As if. It's fine. If anyone says differently then fuck 'em. I don't care, the Losers won't, and Eddie won't either. He'll probably be the happiest about it."

"Why's that?"

Shooting Richie a look, his eyes became comically large under his glasses and he shot up, "No!"

"That's something you'll have to find out for yourself. Just trust me, Richie. It might take awhile for you to feel okay with yourself, but we have all the time in the world."


	8. Sandman

"Some nightmares don't end when we open our eyes."

🔮

**Chapter Seven - Sandman**

🔮

The Sandman is a figure who appears repeatedly in Central and Northern European folklore; traditionally a magical character who brings dreams to children by sprinkling sand across their eyes as they travel from wakefulness to sleep.

The myth and legend surrounding The Sandman have been interpreted in different forms from campfire stories to word of mouth, and from literature to film. The objective of Sandman stories are often similar: to entice, or perhaps more often to scare, naughty children into falling asleep. The Sandman has reappeared sprinkling sand throughout history, literature, and land in an effort to make children sleep.

While certain mythical creatures can mess around with sleep, the Sandman wasn't one of them for a simple reason; he was a story. A bit of folklore created so parents would be able to get their kids to sleep. Still, I liked to imagine that there was someone out there causing my dreams.

Stan's Bat Mitzvah was in the middle of August. He invited me to it over the phone the day before, and while I wasn't sure how I felt about going alone, a quick talk with Richie assured me that I could sit with him and his family.

Putting on a nice dress, and "dolling myself up" as my dad said - to which I dismissed with a wave of my hand and a goodbye - I rode my bike to the only Temple in town. Nervously walking inside, I spotted Richie and his mom in the middle. Sighing in relief, I scooched over and sat next to Richie, striking up a conversation about what we'd done since the last time we saw each other.

His mom gave me a few glances, but didn't ask any questions, nor did she seem displeased with my appearance or mannerisms. There was one friend whose parents actually liked me.

The service began with Stan's dad, the Rabbi - yikes, that explained a lot - giving a few words and giving the sermon about growing up under God's guided care. As someone who had never grown up under a single religion, learning of all of them and understanding what other humans could not, it was interesting seeing a new perspective. Stan's dad seemed high-strung, almost overzealous.

Then it was Stan's turn. He read a few verses from the Torah in Hebrew, then paused, glancing up at the audience. He looked at his severe mother, then Richie, then me. I smiled as encouragingly as I could muster. Gripping the microphone tighter, he said-

"Um, reflecting on what I just read, the word 'Leshanot' comes up a lot which means 'to change, to transform'. Which makes sense, I guess, because today I'm supposed to become a man. It's funny, though. Everyone, I think, has some memories they're prouder of than others, right? And maybe that's why change is so scary. 'Cause the things we wish we could leave behind... the whispers we wish we could silence... the nightmares we most want to wake up from, the memories we wish we could change... the secrets we feel like we have to keep are the hardest to walk away from. The fun stuff? The pictures in our mind that fade away the fastest? Those pieces of you it feels the easiest to lose- maybe I don't want to forget. Maybe if that's what today is all about forget it, right?"

The crowd gasped. My grin grew wider. There was my boy, the one who was OCD and the mom of the group, but the one who wouldn't take shit from anyone- not even his parents.

"Thank you, Stanley," his dad was quick to reach for the mic, but Stan was even faster- dodging out of the way and out of his grasp.

"Today I'm supposed to become a man but I don't feel any different," Stan walked until the mic ran out of cord, then he still held strong, "I know I'm a loser. And I always fucking will be."

Another gasp, whispers of disgust, exclaiming what a disgrace Stan was, but Richie stood and clapped twice before his mom yanked on his arm hard enough to pull him into his seat again.

Pushing down the temptation to go after Stan, I knew I could just call him later that night. Based on what just happened, the service wouldn't last much longer anyway.

Just as I expected, Stan knocked four times on my window later that night. Rushing over, I eagerly pulled it open and ushered him inside. He had his backpack on, probably full of clothes and other items that he'd need for the night.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Derry's newest Jewish rebel," I greeted with a smirk, giggling when Stan rolled his eyes.

"You wouldn't believe what my parents told me when they got home. Until further notice, I'm not allowed in the house," Stan announced, no sympathy or sadness in his voice.

"Why didn't you go to Bill's? Or Richie's or Mike's?" I questioned, knowing that the three of them were the ones he was closest to with easily accessible houses, "Don't tell me it's because you like spending time with me."

Stan flushed from his neck to his ears and scoffed, turning away, "Word travels fast around the club. Apparently, this is the place to be. Besides, Richie's mom was at the Bat Mitzvah, Mike lives outside town, and I haven't talked to Bill much since the fight. So I'm here."

"Well, welcome," I threw my arms open, "This is my room, apparently the oasis for most of the Losers. My mom is making dinner right now. I can bring it in here once it's done. Depending on how long you're staying, we can make plans for what we do."

Nodding, Stan settled in my BeanBag, much to proper for the forced slouch that it gave him. Laughing, I went to my closet and pulled out all of my sleepover supplies, setting them up on the floor next to my bed.

"It was really cool what you did back there, by the way," I complimented when I finished putting everything together, "Kind of stupid considering you did it in front of the entire congregation, but you stuck it to your dad and did something really brave."

"Thanks. It just felt right. It would be wrong to go up there talking about how I was ready to become a man when the entire thing was bullshit anyway. My parents have never particularly liked me, or my choice of friends, so why should I work so hard to please them?"

"And how would they feel knowing you're friends with a witch?" I asked with a smug smile. To see the horror on their faces would be priceless if they ever found out.

"They'd lose their minds and disown me for good," Stan laughed slightly, "But it'd be worth it if I meant I could still be friends with you."

My entire body heated up with something akin to embarrassment, but it wasn't that. It was a concoction of pride, happiness, and captivation. Stan didn't seem to realize what he said because he continued settling himself and organizing his things on the floor.

How could he say something like that and be okay with it? Did he realize what he was doing to me?

I was supposed to _survive_ in Derry until I could move back to Hawkins after college in a big city. I wasn't supposed to start talking to Beverly Marsh, with her asshole dad and fiery hair. I wasn't supposed to get drawn into the Losers Club and inadvertently form a Circle. I wasn't supposed to get pulled into a fight against an Eldritch monster. I wasn't supposed to find Stanley Uris, the pastor's son, OCD, birdwatcher, attractive. But I did and damnit I didn't regret any of it. Because of Stanley Uris and his nervous smiles and curly hair.

"Stan, I-"

"(Y/n), dinner!"

Sighing, I got up, "I'll get us some food and be back in a sec."

Rushing out of my room and the kitchen, I made my plate first. When I went to make Stan's, my dad spoke up.

"Why doesn't Bev eat with us tonight?"

"Yeah, we haven't seen her in awhile. You two will have the rest of the night together. Share her for a bit."

If I showed any suspicious behavior, my parents would use their gifts and find out what I was thinking/feeling- so either way I was screwed.

Trudging back to my room, I told Stan, "I'm sorry for whatever happens after this. Come with me."

Neither of my parents said anything when we entered. Taking my seat at the table, Stan made himself a plate. Perfect portions, perfectly distanced. I wouldn't have expected anything less.

All was silent, the tension thick enough to cut through. Twice my dad cleared his throat to say something, but decided against it at the last second. My mom broke the ice when all of us were nearly finished without food.

"And who is this?"

"Stanley Uris, Mrs. Talbot."

"Hmm. And will he be-"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"We aren't sure."

"And you aren't-"

"No!"

My parents shared a look. I knew my dad was reading my mom's present thoughts, while my mom was sifting through my dad's emotions. They took "silent conversation" to a whole nother level.

"Tonight he can sleep in your room. If he stays any longer than that he'll be staying on the extra bed in Percy's room." Because Percy was slowly learning to sleep in his crib instead of in my parent's room, it was doubling as a guest room- which was fine since it was rarely used by Percy.

Stan and I exchanged small smiles. It wasn't like he had nowhere to go. Richie's, Bill's, Mike's, or Ben's were all still options, but he came to me first for a reason. For the first time in a month, I felt like my parents were willing to try to understand me. Maybe It and my grandma were too much, but it was a step in the right direction.

"Is he one of the few who knows?" My dad continued.

"Yes."

"I'm not going to tell anyone!" Stan said quickly, "So please don't erase my memory."

My parents laughed, "Honey, we wouldn't be able to do anything without erasing the last 5 years of your life. Memory spells are much too powerful."

We cleaned up after that, no further questions coming from either of my parents. I was sure they were confused, concerned, and suspicious as to how close Stan and I were, but I also knew they weren't stupid. They had to have heard all the talking and laughter coming from my room the past month- all the different voices and conversations. Despite how sneaky I wanted to be, they knew that I'd been having the Losers over.

"Oh, Stan, this is Raven!" I held up my hand and my mom's Goldfinch landed on my pointer finger.

"Holy shit," Stan whispered, eyes going wide like he'd never seen one before. Which, I knew for a fact he had because he was an avid birdwatcher and Goldfinches were native to Maine, "It's trained?"

Chuckling, I shook my head, Raven chirped in amusement. "Not trained, exactly. She's mom's familiar. She talks to her like I talk to Castor. _I_ can't talk to her, but tan and I watched a movie in the living room together until Percy began to throw a fit and we craved some quiet.

We stayed up for a few more hours talking, listening to music, and reading books and comics alike. I'd been so distracted with everything else that I hadn't realized that Stan hadn't asked about my magic. He didn't care. I knew that, deep down. The reason he hadn't asked was because he didn't want to push me into talking about something I didn't want to. But I wanted to talk, I wanted to explain.

"Did you know that dragons used to exist?" I asked conversationally, "Hundreds of years ago with the dinosaurs. There were tons of different breeds all over the world which is why no one has put the pieces together yet."

"Really? I never would have thought," Stan tapped a pattern against my floor, one that I could only hear when both of us were silent. He tapped four times with each finger on each hand, then began again.

"Everyone thinks we're a fairytale, too. But they're wrong. There's always been witches in the world. There's magic all around us," reaching over, I stroked Castor's fur. He was teasing me about my crush, but quickly stopped when I scratched behind his ear, "Magic users harness it, and do things you can only imagine in your wildest dreams. I promise I'll show you all some things sometimes. Being a witch is a life I'd never trade... but witches and dragons aren't the only myths that are real."

Stan was listening, understanding, and that was what I needed. He asked, "What else is real?"

"Fairies, demons, nymphs, mermaids-"

"Vampires?"

I laughed, my most genuine laugh since the Losers Club split a month before, "No. No vampires or werewolves. And the clown, he's something else entirely. I've never seen anything like him before. An Eldritch monster who likes illusions."

"What did you see?" He was referring to my fear. I could tell him, he knew everything.

"Our history. What they did to people they suspected knew magic. The Losers... you screamed at me, tried to kill me."

"What did we scream?"

My answer came out in a whisper. I could still hear it. It was burned into my brain as one of the worst moments of my life, constantly replaying in front of my eyes, "Burn the witch."

When we could barely keep our eyes open I shut my lamp off and said goodnight to Stan, rolling over and going to sleep.

_The woods were dark, but I could see just fine- like I had cast a night vision spell. I was near the quarry, on the rocks in front of the water.._

_"(Y/n)," something called my name._

_Head tilting curiously, I walked to the water. The voice was hard to describe- like millions layered on top of each other. Genderless, ancient, and powerful. At the water's edge was a boxing turtle. Maturin flashed through my mind. His name. How did I know that?_

_I picked it up and looked it over. The shell was made of galaxies, further proving my suspicions about it being powerful. But what? I couldn't think of any creature like the one in my hands._

_"The Talbot family has been gifted, a quite literal hiccup when I created this mainstream universe. It is time for you to use such gifts."_

_"What are you talking about? You mean my magic?"_

_"There is so much more to it than that. Your gift-"_

_"Hiya, (Y/n)!" It popped out of the trees, causing me to scream and nearly drop the turtle, "Why don't you give me my little friend there?"_

_"Don't," Maturin ordered, "You have no right to her dreams! You should not be here. (Y/n), put me back in the water."_

_"Yet here I am," It jumped forward and I stumbled back into the water, going up to my calves, "Relax, (Y/n)-girly. Ol' Pennywise won't hurt ya."_

_"Put me down, (Y/n). I am not in the correct form to face my adversary."_

_As I slackened my grip on the turtle. It laughed. No longer was I by the quarry. In a flapper dress and pearls, I was in a speakeasy. A familiar, beautiful teen was laughing across from me. For a few moments she was completely oblivious to my existence. But then she turned and gave me a smile, her voice ringing over the music playing loudly around us._

_"(Y/n), you're a bit early, aren't you? Around forty years too early based on my last vision."_

_"Grandma," I breathed out._

_It was whispering in my ear. My grandma's eyes flitted up to It, but from her lack of expression, I knew that she could only sense something behind me, something dark and evil._

_"I can take you back to her prime, (Y/n). Think of what you'd learn, think of what a team you would be. You were ripped away from her, take her back, live your life in a time that you can rule. A time where rules didn't exist. Gangs, drugs, robberies, they all reigned free. Didn't your grandma tell you about any of it?" It's voice was no longer high and childlike, it was low and serious, "You'll rule it all by her side. Al Capone had nothing on the spells and power she had up her sleeve."_

_"Grandma... what are you doing in a speakeasy?" I asked quietly, eyes flitting to the people around us. All of them were armed, most of them men, "What... what did you do when you were younger?"_

_"Our survival is our strength, (Y/n). This is for our people, and for my family now and in the future. You understand, don't you? Now tell me, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?"_

_Before I could respond, I was somewhere else, in a dress down to my calves. The cars, the buildings, and the pair in front of my told me I was in the fifties. My parents were talking to each other in front of me, sitting on a picnic blanket at Lover's Lake in Hawkins._

_"Or you could join them. Watch them fall in love, watch your story before your time. Weren't the 50s such a lovely time?"_

_The scene changed again, and I dropped down in a seat in Mike Wheeler's basement. They were all smiling and laughing with each other, playing an intense round of DnD. Wheeler had his storytelling face on, and the others were actively listening._

_"The attack begins!" He cries, throwing down a few medium level monsters._

_"We're screwed!" Dustin groaned._

_"I can't do anything for all of us," Will fretted._

_"What about (Y/n)?" Lucas looked to me, "You can do something, right? Come on, save us. Save us!"_

_"Save them, (Y/n)," It was in my ear again, "You can. All you have to do is give me the turtle."_

_I'd forgotten why It was throwing me for a loop in the first place. Maturin had been silent while we were travelling through time, and when I glanced down, it looked like he was half asleep. Was he under a spell or just old and lazy? But he seemed to wake up when I tapped on his shell._

_Maturin croaked, "It's all false. He'll set you free and eat your Circle."_

_"Shut up you old crone!" It screamed._

_The Party was looking at me expectantly, their expressions slowly turning into ones of anger. A blink and I was in the quarry again._

_"I'm not stupid," I scowled. No matter how much I wanted to see into my grandma's past, or watch my parents fall in love, or play one more DnD round with the Party, the price was too high, "I have everything I need already."_

_I dropped Maturin into the water, protecting it from It's evil clutches._

_Hands wrapped themselves around my throat and in seconds my head was being shoved underwater. I didn't process that It was drowning me until water entered my lungs. Fighting for my life, I kicked and scratched and cast spell after spell, but nothing was working. Normal rules didn't apply; we were in my head._

_"If she floats she's a witch, if she drowns she's a bitch. If she floats she's a witch, if she drowns she's a bitch. If she floats she's a witch, if she drowns she's a bitch," It chanted, giggling after each time through._

_During the witch trials they'd sink a woman with rocks. If she lived/floated, she'd be killed for witchcraft. If she drowned she would be declared not guilty. The worst lose-lose situation possible._

_"Come on (Y/n), float, float, float, float,_ float, **float**!"

_My limp hand brushed against a turtle shell made of galaxies._

Hacking up all the water in my lungs, I gasped desperately for air. Stan jerked up next to me and leaped onto my bed, panic overtaking my features as he watched my struggle for breath.

"(Y/n)? What's happening? What do you need?"

Shaking my hand in an "I'm good" motion, I calmed down quickly. Castor was by my side, butting his head against my hip. He wanted to know why my top blanket was now soaked with water.

"It tried to drown me in my dream. Only, I guess it wasn't a dream," I gingerly ran my hand over my neck, wincing, I'd have bruises there to treat in the morning.

"Fuck. And he didn't kill you?" Stan asked the obvious question.

"No. He wanted something I had. I think it was a... a um, a turtle! But it wasn't normal. It was like him, an Eldritch. It saved me just before I... we need to stop It."

Stan shook his head, already messy curls falling into his face from the force of the disagreement. His eyes became wide on his pale face.

"No, no, I can't. Are you crazy? He knows our worst fears, he can kill us! He almost killed you in your _sleep_!"

Grabbing his shaking hands, I made him look me in the eyes, "Stan, I swear on the Talbot blood that runs through my veins that as long as you're with me I will not let you die."

A searing heat formed where our hands were touching, and Castor let out a low purr from next to us. Neither of us tried to pull apart despite the pain blooming along our eyes. On the contrary, we held tighter as our skin glowed gold. When it finally faded, our right hands left each other, but the left remained linked.

"What was that?"

"A promise. Magic users can create unbreakable vows. We don't like to because, well, they're unbreakable and often a lot to live up to."

"But you just did one for me," Stan concluded, free-hand tapping a tempo of fours into my wet comforter, "Well shit, now I feel like I have to go."

"You never had a choice," I noticed that he was still scared, "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared. Not just of It, but of everything going on. Nothing will be the same after this summer."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

Stan laid on the floor again. Sending Castor down to comfort him, I also kept my arm off the side. Taking the hint, Stan grabbed my hand. Maybe we'd let go during the night, but we'd always be connected.

The Sandman, real or not, blessed me with good dreams for the rest of the night.


	9. Familiars

"A witch has to have a familiar, some little animal like a cat or a toad... There's not much room for magic in America now, but once there was room" (Henry Kuttner)

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**Chapter Eight - Familiars**

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In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits (sometimes referred to simply as "familiars" or "animal guides") were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to the records of the time, they would appear in numerous guises, often as an animal, but also at times as a human or humanoid figure, and were described as "clearly defined, three-dimensional... forms, vivid with colour and animated with movement and sound" by those alleging to have come into contact with them, unlike later descriptions of ghosts with their "smoky, undefined form[s]."

When they served witches, they were often thought to be malevolent, while when working for cunning folk they were often thought of as benevolent (although there was some ambiguity in both cases). The former were often categorised as demons, while the latter were more commonly thought of and described as fairies. The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch, providing protection for them as they come into their new powers.

Most of the commonly known information was true. Familiars were animals taken on by magic users to assist them in magic. Familiars can transfer universal energy to their user, allowing them to create more powerful spells within a short span of time. Familiars can't turn into humans or look like them unless their human counterpart casts a temporary illusion spell allowing them to do so. They aren't evil either. They're the closest companion you'll ever have. They communicate with you and understand you in a way that goes deeper than anyone can ever fully understand. They're meant to be your life companion of all life companions, dying the second you do. Not a second earlier and not a second later unless tragedy strikes.

My apparent life partner was on the ground, sleeping next to one of my closest friends instead of me.

"Traitor," I whispered, frowning when Castor laughed at me, not bothering to lift his head.

Picking out my clothes for the day, I snuck out of the room. Because Stan was always so on top of things, I thought for sure he'd be up before me, but he was still sleeping soundly after I finished getting ready for the day.

Heading into the kitchen, I checked the time on the clock. Nearly noon. It made sense since we stayed up so late the night before. My dad was at work and my mom had probably brought Percy to daycare that morning so she could work as well, leaving me and Stan alone.

Thinking over whether we should eat breakfast or lunch - since we could do either - I made sure that no matter what I picked it would be Kosher for Stan. He wasn't as strict his parents would have liked him to be, but I knew that his school lunches still generally abided by the Kosher rules, albeit loosely since he packed his own.

Staying away from meat altogether, I cooked some eggs and paired it with some fruit. Both items were "neutral" foods, and were definitely okay for Stan to eat.

"Isn't it lunchtime?" Stan asked from the kitchen doorway.

Jumping, I nearly dropped the silverware I was pulling out of the drawer.

"Yeah, but we slept in late enough that we could do either," I shrugged, holding up the plate, "I made you breakfast. It's Kosher!"

Rolling his eyes jokingly, Stan and I sat down at the table, "I might have been ex-communicated from the Temple."

"Doesn't mean you aren't Jewish," I argued, "That's your choice to make, what you believe in and all that."

Fidgeting with his fork and food for a second, Stan tentatively asked, "Is the Bible actually real? Or was that BS that someone made up. Do magic users know?"

"It's complicated. God isn't real, nor is he fake. He's the universe itself, which is made up of tons of different creatures and energies that make the events in the Bible. Little flukes or the work of magic users. The people with all that power and stuff were almost all magic users. The others were just happy accidents that people pinned on the work of God."

"That's confusing," Stan mumbled, but he seemed satisfied with that answer and started eating.

After lunch, Stan and I had plans to go down to the quarry and go for a swim, but a loud knock on the front door interrupted our planning.

Cautiously answering, unsure if it would be someone we knew or an illusion, I immediately knew something was wrong. Behind Richie was Eddie, Bill, Ben, and Mike- all of them panicked.

"It got Bev," Richie didn't even make a joke about Stan being over.

"Give me a second."

Rushing back to my room, I was gripping my necklace and muttering frantically under my breath. Pulling out a large jewelry box, I opened it and dug through all of my herbs. Picking out the most protective ones, I added in a flat piece of black tourmaline as well. Pulling it off from around my neck, I put it in Stan's hand.

"You want me to wear this?"

"It's more than a family heirloom now, it's an artifact. Circles draw strength from each other. Normally, it's strength for spells. Circles with non-magic members are rare. For us, they'll keep us sane and remind us what we're fighting for."

I grabbed Ben's coin and Bill's flannel, rushing back out of my room and to the garage to get my bike while Stan retrieved his from under my window- still there after the night before.

Castor was waiting for me outside my door, debating for a second, I decided, "You'll stay up in the Neibolt house, waiting for us. No- don't argue with me Castor. No offense, but you'd be the easiest to pick off. I want you safe, and that way you can still help me out with energy stuff, okay?"

Meeting the Loser's Club at the front of the house I tossed the coin to Richie and the flannel to Mike. Neither of them asked questions.

Travelling in our large pack on the roads that were always deserted, we made quick work of getting to Neibolt. Bev was kidnapped, _kidnapped_ , by It. I didn't want to think of the worst case scenario. Why did It finally decide to strike? A sinking feeling in my gut told me it was because of refusing to take It's deal. He was angry and desperate, and he took the first chance he got to strike on the kids he'd been grooming all summer.

Dropping all of our bikes in front of the neglected yard, we stopped in front of the house so Mike could load his farm-hand gun and Bill could load some spikes into his bag. Considering how I was the only weapon I needed, I stood towards the back waiting. Just in front of me, Eddie unhooked his fanny pack and chucked it across the yard. I swelled with pride. Our separation was hard, but maybe it was a good thing for all of us.

Richie picked up a bottle and slammed it against the staircase leading into the house. The results were poor, ending in a short, unusable bottle. He turned to us, shrugged, and dropped the remains.

When all of us were physically prepared - we'd never be mentally prepared - Bill led us to the door, slowly letting it creak open. We took a few steps inside then noticed that one of our group members was missing.

"Stan?" Ben turned back.

"Stan, we all have to go, Bev-Bev-Beverly was right. If we split up like last time, that clown will kill us, one by one, but if we stick together, all of us... we'll win."

Walking over to him, I took his hand, "Remember our vow? You aren't going to die, Stan. Not with me, and not with them."

At the mention of our vow our hands warmed. Taking a step back, Stan slowly followed me into the house. Our group almost whole again, kept moving through the decrepit home. Instead of going upstairs again, we went straight to the basement where the well was. There, Castor sat down, sending me a look and a warning. He didn't want to be without an owner, not when he'd been living such a cushy life. He wouldn't survive in the wild without three legs.

"Eddie, you got a quarter?" Richie asked sarcastically when the broken down well came into view.

"I wouldn't want to make a wish in that fucking thing," Eddie sassed back.

"Beverly?" Ben called down.

"How are we supposed to get down there?"

"(Y/n), you can cast a levitation spell, right?"

"Levitation? What do you think this is, Richie? We don't have spells that could carry this many people. If you give me a second I could think of one that I could alter, but I should be saving my energy for-"

"Guys," Bill held up a rope he found on the floor.

Mike wrapped it around a hook hanging above the well, tying a knot to secure it. He tugged harshly a few times to be sure that it wouldn't come undone when we were climbing down.

Bill, ever our fearless leader, stepped up to the plate first. After him, Richie helped Eddie up and made sure that he was okay despite his arm. I hadn't noticed it before, but LOSER was written in large letters over his cast. He'd taken a red marker to correct it as LOVER. I wanted to find whoever wrote that and strangle them. All of us were strong in our own ways, but Eddie was the fiercest just behind Bev. The ferocity was sadly subdued because of his mother, and the loud whispers of "Girly boy" and "Fairy" that floated around. In a strange way, I hoped what we were about to enter would change that.

All of us needed something to come from this. Richie needed understanding, an anchor to mellow him out. Bev needed freedom and comfortability. Stan needed confidence and reassurance. Mike needed acceptance. Ben needed brilliant minds to challenge his own. Bill needed closure more than anything. And I... I wanted a life. A life full of everything the other Losers needed and full of the Losers themselves..

After Eddie was Stan, Ben, then me. When all of us were crouched down in the small hole to the side of the entrance, we heard Mike scream in pain. Scrambling to the edge, all of us crouched around each other so we could see up.

"Mike?" We all yelled, "Mike, are you okay?"

Then, over the edge came Bowers. His face was deranged, blood that wasn't his splattered all over it.

"Bowers," Richie cried, as if we were blind.

"Mike, shit," Eddie whispered.

Letting out a dark laugh, Bowers grabbed the rope and pulled it up. All of us moved to grab it before we could lose our only entrance and exit option, but none of us were fast enough.

"(Y/n), duh-do something!" Bill looked to me. Our fearless leader who always knew what to do, seemed so scared and desperate.

"R-right, okay," lifting my hands, I tried to ignore how badly they were shaking. I'd been in stressful situations before, all of them revolving around It, so why was I freezing up so badly?

The reason: the well was the definition of fear. It invaded my bloodstream and turned everything to ice, filling me with dread and hesitation I'd never known.

"(Y/n), come on!" Everyone was yelling at me to do something as the sounds of a fight began from above us. They were specific enough to tell us who was winning.

"Stop yelling at me!" I screamed back. Finally pulling a spell out of my memory, I moved as close as I dared to the edge of the opening and cast the spell with two flicks of my wrists and a pull of my right hand.

Bowers' body flew back towards the well, and fell down with a scream. Several times, his body his the stone sides of the well, and we couldn't see what happened when he reached the end.

Having only cast one spell, I was already tired. Not only because of the house sucking the energy out of me, but because I thought I'd just killed someone. There was no remorse, not the boy who made life a living hell for anyone he came into contact with, but there was a little clench in my gut. Something I pushed away. Bowers deserved it, he deserved it.

Backing up, I passed the other boys, turning to say something to Stan, "I don't know if- Stan?" He wasn't behind me. Taking another headcount of the boys ahead, I didn't see Stan's mop of curls among the group, "Stan?"

Mike joined us in the tunnel, relatively unharmed minus a cut from a punch on his cheek. Panic festering inside me, I quickly moved back to the others.

"He's gone! Stan's gone!" I announced, not waiting for them to get their bearings before I was crawling down the tunnel.

"Stan? Stanley?"

The tunnel opened up into one of the sewer tunnels. Jumping down, I winced at the feeling of the dirty water seeping through my shoes and into my socks.

"Ah, shit, greywater," Eddie hissed from behind, hesitating for less than a second behind he jumped out behind me.

We followed the tunnel until we came to a fork. Unsure of which way to turn, Stan's scream from the left one was the only map we needed.

"Stan!"

"Shit, Stan!"

Sprinting through the ankle-deep water down the tunnel, we soon came to a rusted metal door. Straining to get it open, all of us put all our strength into it and it swung open with a loud creak.

Panning his flashlight across the room, Bill gave us a little light to find our friend. Eddie ran over and picked up Stan's larger flashlight - which had been dropped on the ground -, giving us more light. It was easy to find him after that, on the ground with a grotesque lady literally eating his face.

"Get the fuck off of him!" My nerves were gone, replaced by anger. Fuck that fucking dancing clown for thinking he could get away with hurting my friends for so long!

Casting a quick spell, the lady screeched and pulled off of Stan, revealing her face that was even more disgusting than her body. She hissed, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. She retreated back into one of the tunnels, disappeared for a second, and reappeared for a split second as It. Then It was gone again.

"Stan!" I sprinted over to his body, kneeling next to him with the boys just behind me.

His body was shaking like mad, seizure-like in nature. He had bite marks around the edges of his face, rapidly dripping blood. But he wasn't missing any major pieces of skin. Everything was in tact.

Stan screamed, shooting up and coming out of his state of shock, "No, no, no!"

"Stan, Stanley!" All of us were still screaming his name, this time to bring him back to Earth and reassure him that he was okay.

"You left me! You took me into Neibolt! You're not my friends! You made me go into Neibolt!"

"Stanley, I'm sorry," Eddie apologized like it was entirely his fault.

"You left me!" Stan sobbed.

"We're here for you."

"You know we wouldn't do that to you."

All of us enveloped him in a hug. Whether it was because certain members didn't get it at all, or didn't get it positively, my time with the Losers Club let me know that physical contact was a quick and easy way to support them, "You're okay, you're okay. You're alive. It didn't eat you, he couldn't. Not with all of us. Not with this," I gently tugged on the silver chain around his neck, "Just breathe with me for a second."

Stan slowly calmed down as he matched my breathing. Unconsciously, the other guys matched me as well, all of our nerves going down as we took a moment to collect ourselves. Eddie's head snapped to the side as if he spotted something.

"Bill, Bill!"

Bill was missing. All of us were too distracted by calming Stan to notice him leaving. Luckily, Eddie had spotted him rounding the corner of the tunnel across from us. Giving Stan a hand to get up, we all ran after Bill.

"Bill!" We all yelled as we went along, desperately listening for a reply back.

There was an open entrance ahead of us, a beacon in the dark. Crossing the threshold, the water rose until we were up to our knees. Eddie tripped on something, and tumbled into the water, gagging.

"Get out of there dude, it's greywater," Richie repeated Eddie's own advice. He pretended like he didn't listen but he did, always to Eddie.

Screeching, Eddie jumped up when a head popped up to the surface. Then another. All of us screamed and quickly backed away from the sight, sprinting past the heads and farther down the open tunnel.

"Come on, get the fuck out of here, come on!"

We came upon the center of the entire system. A giant room with a large pile of trash and other items in the middle. To the side, Bev was floating in the air, eyes blank and white.

"Bev?"

"Beverly?"

"Holy shit."

"H-how is she in the air?" Richie questioned as we gathered around her.

"Guys... are those?"

Bev's catatomic state wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the children above us, their clothing dating back hundreds of years.

"He wants us to float," I swallowed my bile, nauseous from the grisly sight, "Just like the missing kids."

Richie and Mike knelt down to give Ben a boost, allowing him to grab Bev by the ankle and pull her to the ground. Even when someone was touching her, she had no reaction to it. Her eyes remained stark white.

"Bev? Beverly! Why isn't she waking up?"

"It's like he paralyzed her," I whispered, "I can't do anything. I don't know It's powers well enough."

"What is wrong with her? Beverly please, come on," Ben hugged her tightly. Then, in a split second decision, he kissed her.

All of us gasped in shock at the action. But like a Disney movie, Bev blinked slowly, seemingly coming back to life.

"January embers," Bev whispered.

"My heart burns there too," Ben replied, knowing their little "code".

"Jesus, fuck," Richie said tearily, pulling the pair into a hug. The rest of us gathered around, joining the group hug. She was okay. Our mission was a success.

"Georgie," we heard softly from the other side of the pile. It was Bill.

Our group cautiously went around the side and gathered behind Bill, who was facing his little brother. I'd only seen Georgie on the missing person's posters around town, and even then his face was soon covered up by another. But Georgie was adorable. Small, bright, and Bill's little brother.

"What took you so long?" Georgie whined, approaching Bill with a paper boat in his hands.

"I was looking for you this whole time."

"I couldn't find my way out of here. He said I could have my boat back, Billy."

"Was she fast?" Bill asked tearily.

"I couldn't keep up with it."

"Her, Georgie, You cah-call a boat her."

"Take me home, Billy. I want to go home. I miss you, I want to be with mom and dad."

"I want more than anything for you to be home. With mom, and dad. I miss you so much."

"I love you, Billy."

"I love you too," Billy held up the bolt-gun, pressing it against Georgie's forehead, "But you're not Georgie."

He pulled the trigger. All of us flinched, shocked by Bill's actions. Georgie's body fell to the ground. All was silent for a few short seconds. Then Georgie's body began to shake. His limbs elongated to that of an unnaturally tall adult. Then his clothes and face shifted. Bill was right, hiding under the guise of Georgie was It.

"Kill it Bill, kill it!"

"Shit."

"Bill!"

"Kill it!"

"It's not loaded. The gun isn't loaded!" Mike tried to announce over their screaming.

But Bill could still shoot because if there was anything It strived on, it was the power of belief. It screamed, It's body shaking unnaturally. Then it jumped, tackling Bill to the ground. The only thing between Bill and death was the bolt-gun.

"Leave him alone!" Bev grabbed one of the stakes and tried to stab It with it. But he'd grown smarter, and caught it before it could land a hit. He threw it across the room.

Mike was next, and It sent him instead of his weapon across the room.

"Stronger, stronger, stronger," I muttered to myself, jabbing my hands through the air a few times and sent out a spell powerful enough to create a giant gash through It's costume and body.

It laughed, though I thought, hoped, that I heard some hidden pain beneath it. Bill took the chance and grabbed a giant pipe from the ground near him, jumping onto It's back and riding him like a mechanical bull.

All of us rushed forward, trying to help Bill any way we could. He grabbed Stan and Richie by the collars of their shirts, swinging them around as he spun to get Bill off his back. When he let go they flew across the room, landing with hard _thuds_.

"Shit!" I gasped in pain when It dug It's claws into my shoulder in the middle of a spell. Dislodging myself caused more damage than staying put, but I couldn't risk getting eaten. He did it on purpose, going after my dominant arm so I wouldn't be able to cast spells as well.

With one final swing of It's body, Bill flipped off It's back and onto the ground. Before he could try to run, It grabbed him and pulled him close, holding him by the neck.

"No, don't!" Bev cried, taking a step forward. It took a parallel step back.

Hand holding my shoulder, Stan came up behind me. I knew from the paling of his face that my shoulder didn't look good. It didn't feel good either, sending waves of pain through me with every movement I tried to make.

"Let him go," Mike ordered.

"No," It growled, "I'll take him. I'll take all of you. And I'll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear. Or, you'll give me her," It pointed a shaking finger at me, "I will take her, only her, and I will have my long rest. I haven't tasted magic blood in _so long_. And you will all live to grow and thrive and lead happy lives until old age takes you back to the weeds."

"Nuh-no, just ta-take muh-me," Bill gasped out, "I'm the one wh-who dragged yuh-you into this."

"No, he wants me for a reason," Stan grabbed my sleeve to keep me close but I shook him off with a wince, "It's because I scare _you_ , isn't it?"

"Scare, scare, scare. Not a Talbot. Never a Talbot. Too, too _careful_ and _powerful_ for lil' ol' Pennywise. But you were stupid and hopeful. The Turtle tried to warn you, (Y/n)-girly."

"Will you let them go?"

"(Y/n), don't," Bev hissed.

"I swear on my pitch-black heart. Look at her, what a good friend. Take some tips, Billy-boy."

Ready to give up my life for my soulmates, my Circle, my closest friends, I took another step forward. Richie stood from the ground, and put a hand on my good arm- sending me a look that made me pause.

"I told you, Bill. I fucking told you. I don't want to die. It's your fault. You punched me in the face, you made me walk through shitty water, you brought me to a fucking crackhead house. And now..." Richie stopped in front of the pile and pulled out a wooden bat, "I have to kill this fuckin' clown."

That was it, the culmination of all our frustration and loyalty to each other in the words of Richie Tozier. Swinging back for a strong hit, Richie yelled, "Welcome to the Losers Club, asshole!"

Dropping Bill, It jumped up to defend himself. All of us jumped into action on Richie's command. I couldn't do much with my arm, so I stood back for a minute to cast a quick spell that would stop the bleeding and numb the wound. Then I stepped back in.

It was in the middle of shifting between fears to gain strength from us. But none of us were scared anymore. We were angry, and determined. It shifted into a Leper, and turned to Eddie, vomiting all over his face.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Eddie screeched furiously.

Surrounding It in a wide circle, we took turns getting hits in, creating a violent but efficient system. From burnt hands to Stan's lady, to a face full of flames, It desperately tried to frighten us. He was weak, beaten. Finally, he looked at Bev, and his face shifted into that of her dad, a large gash on his head.

"Bevvie, are you still my little-"

Bev screamed and shoved her metal pipe straight through his mouth. Shifting back, It spit the pipe out and frantically crawled backward.

"That's why you didn't kill Bev," Bill announced, no trace of a stutter to be found, "Because she wasn't afraid of you. Now none of us are, and you're going to starve."

It was pressed against a well-like structure that led underground, whereabouts unknown.

"He th-thrusts his fi-fists," It started, then realized that nothing was going to come of it. He flipped backward into the hole, holding onto the edge. Bill approached, bat ready to deliver another blow, "Fear..."

He let go and fell, not to be seen again.

All of us were silent for a few long moments, waiting for It to pop out again, ready for another fight, ready to eat us all whole. But nothing happened, well, not nothing.

"Look, the kids are coming down."

We looked up to the ceiling. All of the floating kids were slowly coming to the ground, but their bodies never touched, simply disappeared. They weren't floating anymore. A flash of yellow caught all of our attention, and we knew exactly what it was.

Bill stumbled over to Georgie's raincoat, dropping to his knees to reach it. He picked it up with shaking hands, letting out a quiet sob. The rest of the Losers gathered around him, pulling him into separate hugs and putting comforting hands on his shoulders.

I should have been sad when Georgie raincoat lowered to the ground. At the very least I should have comforted Bill like the others. Instead, I felt something deep within me. Something benevolent yet dark. Reaching out, I too the coat from Bill's hands without explanation.

"(Y/n)!"

"What the hell?"

"The fuck are you doing?"

Ignoring the Losers cries of protest, I held the jacket tight for another moment before dropping it in the water beneath me. What I started doing next was more than muscle memory. It had been ingrained into my bones long before I was even a piece of the universe. I felt Castor above me, next to me, around me, giving me strength, But it was more than him. The Losers didn't know it, but they were giving me strength as well. My hands danced together in a battle for success, my injury unimportant. Every third movement a word would slip out of my mouth.

"Altered... fate... correct... revive."

Something more than the familiar warmth and comfortability of a spell spread up my arms. It was so searing, so raw, that I let out a scream of agony. My eyes closed when the light became too much - the tips of my fingers to my elbow had become a replacement for the absent sun.

It was over.

Falling back into the water, my hands twitched uncontrollably as my body tried to process what had damaged it so quickly. Unsure if I was going to throw up, pass out, or both, I tried to regain my bearings.

"Georgie?"

Suddenly, Stan was at my side, helping me to my feet. He was careful with my hands, which had severe First Degree burns - I felt lucky that it wasn't any worse than that - and were pink and blistering.

Little Georgie Denbrough gave his big brother a smile, holding out his arms for a hug. All of us cried for a new reason, everything we just went through worth it.

We were changed in the best and worst of ways.


	10. Shadow People

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a discord server and a Valentines Day gift for you! https://discord.gg/ESwC7f

"When an oath is taken the mind is more attentive; for it guards against two things, the reproach of friends and the offense against the gods" (Sophocles)

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**Chapter Nine - Shadow People**

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A shadow person (also known as a shadow figure, shadow being or black mass) is the perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, particularly as interpreted by believers in the paranormal or supernatural as the presence of a spirit or other entity.

A number of religions, legends, and belief systems describe shadowy spiritual beings or supernatural entities such as shades of the underworld, and various shadowy creatures have long been a staple of folklore and ghost stories.

As the Losers ventured their way back up through the Neibolt house, and onto the streets of Derry once again, they could have sworn they saw shadow creatures flitting around. I saw their eyes wandering, cautiously looking around. I saw the same thing.

Castor was passed out on the floor outside the well. Not hurt, just tired. I'd asked for a lot from him that day, and I'd be sure to reward him when he woke up as a thank you for being so loyal.

"They're spirits," I explained quietly when we were getting our bikes, having put Castor in Mike's basket since he couldn't trot alongside us, "They present themselves in different ways. I think that because the other kids were shrouded in darkness so long that's what they've reappeared as. Shadow People, a lot of people call them. No different than ghosts."

"Why are they following us?" Bev asked, pointing out the extra shadows around ours in the evening sun.

Squinting my eyes, I tried to focus on the air around us. My hands were too injured to cast any communication spells well, so I tried to pick out their faded auras. Dark pink.

"They're thanking us," my eyes teared up, "They're grateful that we set them free."

Before I could cry, there was a gentle tug on my shirt. Glancing down, I saw Georgie staring up at me with wide eyes. He pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around my waist. Sobbing, I wrapped my arms around him. The smooth, cold plastic of his raincoat soothed my arms somewhat, making me hold on even tighter.

"Thank you for bringing me back to Billy," he said quietly, making me cry even louder.

Another pair of arms joined, then another, one more, three more, and a final pair. I was the only one crying, but the others had gotten their tears out when they cried with Bill over Georgie, and I didn't care much. The safety they enveloped me with was the brightest thing in the world, filling my heart with warmth and love. My family, my soulmates, my Circle, had finally conquered their demons in the wake of an Eldritch.

We weren't entirely sure where to go after that. Bill had to go home, he had to. He "found" his little brother - we all agreed to report that Bowers had held him captive and meant to kidnap Bill as well since he bullied him so badly. He could put back the missing puzzle piece and restore his family. Yet we didn't bike to the Denbrough house. We went into town, slowly since I refused to leave my bike behind but couldn't put much pressure on my hands.

Few adults paid attention to the bruised and bloody kids walking with bikes by their sides, and no adults attempted to approach.

"Look at us," my hands burned, the textured rubber around my bikes handles irritating the tender skin. So when I saw the chance to take a hand off, I took it.

The large store window in front of us was like a mirror. All of us stopped and stared. We were a sight. But none of us looked upon our reflections in distaste. We pondered, then smiled. Even little Georgie, who'd been hiding behind Bill's leg, peeked out to giggle.

Underneath our exhaustion driven happiness was trauma, some confusion, and uncertainty for the future. But we could put that aside because we were whole. Broken, fractured in more ways than one, but the Losers Club was whole.

And that was why we smiled.

"I can't go home like this. My mom will kill me," Eddie sighed.

"Dude, you've been gone for a whole twenty-four hours. Your face is totally on a milk carton right now," Richie teased, "Plus, that vomit stinks like your mom's slippers."

"Beep beep, Richie," Bev rolled her eyes.

"Okay, first of all, my mom's slippers smell like potpourri, asshole."

"No they don't," Stan deadpanned, making me chuckle.

"Yes they do, and also, how would you know what they smell like in the first place?"

"Can we just keep it quiet please, until we get home?" Mike all but begged tiredly.

"Potpourri is literally a french word meaning rotten pot."

"Of course you would know that."

"Eddie, no spell in the world could help your mother and her slippers."

"Shut up, (Y/n)."

What happened after that was a bit of a blur. We went to the general store for supplies, and Eddie wasn't afraid to use his account anymore, claiming that his mother would have to knock him out if she tried to take him to the hospital for more "gazebo pills".

In the alleyway next to the store we patched each other up. Stan and I were first since our injuries were the most serious. Eddie carefully wrapped bandages around Stan's head after cleaning the wounds. Eddie left a tuft of Stan's curls outside the wrap, and it was adorable.

Then Eddie wrapped my arms after applying a burn cream that made me curse into the alley, apologizing to Georgie once it was over. The bandages went from my fingers to my elbows in order to cover the extent of the injuries. I'd never be able to wrap it as well as Eddie did, but I'd let my mom redo it after I applied some herbs. Because my injuries were from magic it'd be difficult to heal my wounds with the same thing that harmed them, but we'd manage.

After me and Stan was the others. All of us worked on that. We went around, disinfecting wounds and applying bandages. Every time we moved on to a new person we said an encouraging phrase. None of us realized it, but those simple acts were crucial to our healing process.

With each Loser - plus Georgie - patched up, we finally went our separate ways. Despite the distance between us, all of our paths led to the same place; eachother.

Stan and I arrived home to terrified parents. Pulling me into a tight hug first, my mom moved to Stan immediately after. Inadvertently, quickly, he'd become a part of our family.

My parents sat us down and made us tell them what happened. Tears were shed by all parties - and I was a bit tired of crying so much. Stan and I cried because talking about what happened made us process it, and my parents because they realized I was right. Not just me but my grandma. And they thought we were going crazy. They uprooted our lives for a true prophecy.

Unwrapping my wounds so soon after their first fixing made me wince. My mom applied some aloe and left it at that, rewrapping them immediately after. Dad was off to the side looking over Stan's injuries and casting a few spells to help the healing process.

"How did you get burns from fighting an Eldritch?"

"It didn't give them to me. I um... I brought Georgie Denbrough back to life."

The room fell silent. Crying out quietly when my mom tightly grabbed my wrist, she pulled me close.

"What?" The question came out as a hiss, but it wasn't malicious or angry, just... scared.

"Stanley, why don't you head to your room?" My dad requested.

Stan gave me a nervous look, and stood to leave-

"No!" It was me. I cried out without realizing it, "He can stay. He _stays_."

I couldn't be seperated so soon after It, so soon after almost losing each other.

"Fine, he can stay... (Y/n) are you sure you brought him back? Maybe you shifted the reality he was in and brought him out of a pocket dimension."

"We all knew Georgie was dead, even Bill. None of us wanted to admit it. I just looked at Bill crying over Georgie's raincoat and something clicked. I took the raincoat and just," I waved my hands around, "Brought him back."

"Clara we need to tell the Council. They must know that there's a witch who can bring back the dead." My dad stood to go for our cauldron under the sink.

"Lucas we can't! They know of our gifts because there have been cases of them before. But no magic-user in history has ever been able to raise the dead, there's only ever been rumors that that's what happened with Jesus. By all laws of, well, _everything_ , it should be impossible. Think of what they could do to her. We could never see our daughter again if they decided she was too valuable not to be harnessed. Look at her arms, do you want her to live the rest of her life like that?"

My dad had moved away from the phone as soon as my mom told him not to call, but she continued anyway, keeping eye contact with me. She was talking to me. Warning me and reassuring me at the same time.

"I know not to use this lightly. Georgie was important. Bill's parents... haven't been caring about him at all since Georgie disappeared. I don't know if I'll be able to use it again or what will happen if I do. It... it scares me." It really did. I thought my gift would be something simple, not a power that went against all natural laws.

"Good," my parents each gave me a hug, then let me and Stan go.

I showered first, casting a waterproof spell on my bandages to keep them safe. I never thought a shower would feel so heavenly. Stan showered after me and then we ate dinner. My parents had taken more care to make the meal kosher that night. Despite how hungry we were, Stan and I couldn't stomach much. Everything on our plates looked like something from the sewers.

Castor had woken up while my parents were rewrapping us, unhappy and tired. I gave him a full meal that night, sure to add some sweeter berries as a reward.

Even though Stan was supposed to start sleeping in Percy's unused room, he set up in mine again. Castor settled at the end of my bed. I grabbed Stan's hand from over the edge, and we went to sleep.

~*~

Three days later, Bill called and asked to meet near the river. The day before everyone had exchanged calls, but didn't meet up. We spotted each other around town once or twice. In the diner, on the Love Bridge, in the woods by the clubhouse, but never near the barrens.

Bev called the night after and said she was staying in a motel with her aunt because her dad was dead. Dead. Couldn't say I was upset, but it took a few minutes for her to calm down when I asked what happened. She killed him, and she wasn't very sad about it either when it came down to it. She'd been suffering for years and fought back. What made us most anxious was what would happen to her after. Chief Bowers helped her cover it up, seeing all of the bruises and scars on her body, and Bev said they called it a home invasion gone wrong. That meant she wasn't going to jail. But her aunt wasn't very kind, despite Bev saying that she was talking to the police about taking her in.

It was September 1st. We were going back to school in a week. The worst-best summer of my life was coming to a close, but our story wasn't over yet. When everyone arrived, we talked for a little while about mundane things. Bill reported that his parents _and_ the police believed his story about finding Georgie. For once, Derry's effect on the adults paid off because there were no further questions. Just relief and attempts to repair what had been broken.

"I had a dream last night," Bev announced quietly, "It was like when It did that thing to me with the lights. I can only remember parts, but I thought I was dead. That's what it felt like. I saw us, all of us together back in the cistern, but we were older, like, our parents' ages."

"Whu-what were we all doing there?" Bill questioned.

"I just remember how we felt. How scared we were. I don't think I can ever forget that," Bev shrugged.

Looking at a shard of glass on the ground in front of us, Bill bent down to pick it up, "Swear it. Swear if It isn't dead, if It ever comes back, we'll come back, too."

As we pondered it, one by one we all stood up. Bill held out his left hand and made an incision in it using the glass. He then stepped up to Richie and cut his left hand; he cringed from the pain and shook his hand as Bill moved on to Eddie- who looked away. Mike groaned, Stan closed his eyes and grit his teeth, Ben grunted in pain, and Bev simply winced. Then he stepped up to me.

"If I'm a part of this oath, there's no going back. My blood... we make unbreakable vows on our bloodlines. This'll be more than an impulsive decision. If you break the vow then your body will burn itself from the inside out."

The group shared looks, but none of them seemed scared or hesitant at the notion of the painful death they'd receive if I made the oath with them. They wanted the entire Losers Club to be a part of it, so I removed the bandages on my left hand and held it out. My skin had been healing well, so it could handle a small cut.

All of us joined hands, and the seven of them looked to me to say a few words.

"We swear, on the blood of our fellow Circle members, that if the Eldritch haunting Derry ever returns, we will kill it for good by returning together. For nothing is stronger than our bond."

We held hands for a few seconds more than let go simultaneously.

"We should go," I announced for Stan and me, ignoring the kissing sounds Richie was making nearby. Eddie slapped his arm and he stopped, his smirk still present.

"I hate you," Stan said monotonously. Bill's face fell, but then Stan grinned to indicate he was just joking.

"See you later, guys!"

Grabbing Stan's hand, I pulled him down the path behind me. We started the trend, so hopefully the others would follow to give Bev and Bill a few moments alone. Whether she chose Bill or Ben, I'd be obligated to support her.

"You think they're gonna kiss?" I asked when we stopped at our bikes.

"As soon as everyone is gone," Stan agreed with a small chuckle.

Sucking in a breath, I added, "And what about us?" Stan quirked a brow and I continued, "They say that trauma brings people together and now we're bound by blood and magic, but even without that... I like you Stan. A lot. And having you with me in the house on Neibolt-"

Stan pulled me close and kissed me. Humming in pleased shock, I reveled in the warmth that spread through my body. It was clumsy and painfully obvious it was our first kiss, but god, I was okay with all of that because it was _Stan_.

His compulsion shone through in the best way when he pulled back and pressed his lips to mine thrice more, a count of four.

"Do you wanna go on a date with me?"

"More than anything."


	11. Will-o'-the-Wisp

"A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-Wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight" (Theodore Dreiser)

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**Chapter Ten - Will-o'-the-Wisp**

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In folklore, a will-o'-the-wisp or ignis fatuus is an atmospheric ghost light seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes. The phenomenon is known in English folk belief, English folklore and much of European folklore by a variety of names, including jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, hinkypunk and hobby lantern, and is said to mislead travelers by resembling a flickering lamp or lantern. In literature, will-o'-the-wisp sometimes have a metaphorical meaning, e.g. describing a hope or goal that leads one on but is impossible to reach, or something one finds sinister and confounding.

Will-o'-the-wisp appears in folk tales and traditional legends of numerous countries and cultures; notable will-o'-the-wisp include St. Louis Light in Saskatchewan, Marfa lights of Texas, the Naga fireballs on the Mekong in Thailand, and the Hessdalen light in Norway. While urban legends, folklore, and superstition typically attribute will-o'-the-wisps to ghosts, fairies, or elemental spirits.

In magic-user lessons, we're told Will-o'-the-wisp can grant wishes, or rather, lead you down the correct path to achieve what you want. As I got ready for mine and Stan's date, I felt like the wisps had led me to my destiny, they'd given me my wish. I went from crushing on Stan to dating him.

"Castor, you can't go on my date with me. It'd be weird to bring you on our first date... I don't care if Stan knows you, it's weird. Besides, what if there are other people at the quarry? I'm aware that it's September, Castor, but we can never be too safe."

Castor was hesitant to leave my side. He had been since everything with It went down. But this was a day for me and Stan only. No parents, no Losers, no familiars. Grumbling, Castor left my room to go spend his day with Luna and Raven, nearly falling when he jumped off my bed. His balance was always off because of his missing hind leg.

Sure that I looked good, I grabbed the items Stan requested I bring the night before: a towel, change of/extra clothes, and the little radio I kept in my room. My guess was that we'd be going to the quarry for the day- what we were gonna do before we faced off with It -so I kept my suit on under my clothes.

"Ready?" It was strange being in the same house as the person you were about to go on a date with, but convenient at the same time.

"Yeah, let's go."

Surprisingly, we didn't turn onto the path leading to the quarry, we went into town. Stan stopped at Curly's Diner. Parking our bikes out front, we walked in and took a seat at a booth near the window. Surveying the area, watching for danger and ready to run. It was completely subconscious, but we were preparing for an attack.

"Hi, welcome to Curly's, what can I get for you today?"

Our waitress was an upperclassman I'd seen in the halls a few times, always annoyed with the world like most juniors and seniors. After ordering our drinks we sat in a silence riding the line between uncomfortable and comfortable. When Stan tapped his fingers on the table, I had a conversation topic.

"Why fours?" I questioned.

"Huh?"

"You do things in fours when you're nervous. Tapping, writing, pedaling," I left out kissing, "Your aura screams meticulous with OCD tendencies, but I don't know why."

Eyes widening in realization, Stan looked down at his hands. He had no idea he was doing it.

"Oh, um, four is a nice number I guess. Even, not too high, works with a lot of things. I never really notice I'm doing it. The others just tune it out, sort of like Bill's stuttering."

Our drinks came and we ordered food. Because we were going swimming after, neither of us ordered large meals.

"What was life like before you moved here? Sometimes I forget that you only came a few months before Ben. You act like you've lived here your entire life."

"Life in Hawkins was perfect in a different way. My grandma taught me magic every summer, and I had this amazing group of friends; The Party. Funny, I was a bit of a loser there, too. Some things never change, huh?"

Stan picked up on the faraway look in my eyes, "Do you miss it?"

"Certain parts, sure. But I don't regret moving to Derry. Even after everything that's happened. I wouldn't have met you and the other Losers if I stayed in Hawkins."

Our food came, and we ate over idle conversation. Stan paid when we were finished with his "runaway cash", and from there we biked over to the quarry like I thought we were doing originally.

"Don't tell me we have to loogie to see who wins," I teased as we parked our bikes near our normal cliff edge, "Let's blitz."

"You wanna blitz?" Stan's eyes widened, fingers tapping a pattern on the handles of his bike.

"Why not? Come on, chicken!" I pulled my clothes off, put them in my bag, and sprinted for the edge, no longer scared of the Naiads of the world.

Similar to how the water was freezing in June, it was slowly growing cooler as September progressed, sending a quick burst of shivers through my body. Looking up to the cliff to watch for Stan, I yelped when he was practically on top of me, diving out of the way.

"Get bent, Stan," I laughed, sending a splash his way, "Don't tell me you couldn't jump somewhere else."

"What's your damage?" He teased back, running a hand through his mussed hair. Despite trying to push the curls away from his face, they still came back to rest on his forehead.

The rest of the day was spent in the same way my first hangout with the Losers went. Splashing around, laughing, and enjoying the date without the pressure of having to make it romantic in a traditional way.

"Look at this," Wiggling my fingers, I lifted my hands and the water followed. Model dolphins jumped out of the water, performing small tricks for us.

"Wicked," Stan marveled, "What else can you do?"

Looking up at the cliff edge, I mentally flipped through my grimoire and the modifications I could put on the spells inside. Grinning mischievously, I asked, "How would you feel about an invisible waterslide?"

When both of us were exhausted from how much we swam, we set up on shore, playing my little radio and lying back on our towels.

"I think I'm going to go back home tomorrow. School starts on Monday and I need more clothes and more school things," Stan sighed sadly.

"You think they'll let you back in the house?"

"They have to at this point. The only reason they haven't called the police yet is because I called and talked to my mom last week. Well, that and parents in Derry just don't care. She's more okay with me coming home than my dad, but I expected that."

Staring out at the sunset, I mumbled, "It's gonna suck not having you around as much."

"Don't act like we aren't going to hang out with the Losers every day during and after school. Percy will finally get his room back, anyway."

Guessing the time, sometime later in the evening, I sighed and stood to put my clothes back on.

"Let's motor, my parents will want us back soon," I couldn't say my parents wanted us back _home_ anymore, because Stan was going home. Well, he was going to his house. Home would always be different for us, it'd be wherever the Losers were.

Biking back home, my parents were both home and cleaning up their dinner when we walked in.

"What did you two do today?" My dad asked, grabbing two plates from the cupboard for us, brow raised in a teasing way.

"We uh-"

"The quarry-"

"And Curly's-"

"They have a deal on lunch food right now-"

"You know, everyone else was busy so-"

"Lost track of time."

Flushing in embarrassment, Stan and I shared a look. We couldn't have been more obvious about what our day really was. My parents smiled, handed us our plates, and went to the living room with Percy to watch some TV before they went to bed.

"Today was nice," I told Stan, loading food onto my plate, then putting it into the microwave to heat it up, "Thanks."

"Thanks for saying yes. Would you want to do it again, sometime?"

"Do you even have to ask?" We sat down at the table, next to each other yet somehow not close enough, sharing tentative smiles reflecting a budding young love.

~*~

School had been going on for a month and a half, making it October 29. The Losers Club was closer than ever, despite two of our members not attending Derry High. We met with Mike at the clubhouse all the time, and took turns calling Bev to stay updated.

Without Bowers or Patrick Hockstetter, the Losers' bullying problems decreased. There were still plenty of assholes willing to pick on our little group of misfits, but they learned fast that we wouldn't take any shit. The past summer had hardened us, and everyone could sense that we were dangerous.

Stan finally went home when school started, and while his parents either ignored or yelled, his mom still made him lunch every day which Stan claimed was a good sign.

Halloween was fast approaching and we were stoked. Bev was going to take a bus to Derry for the night to be with us. And as cheesy as it was, I convinced Stan to do a couple's costume with me, just in the nick of time as we were two days away.

_"You're sure they're coming down?"_

"Pretty sure. I really want to see you guys. I miss Will the Wise."

Will chuckled over the phone. We were talking about Christmas. Ever since It, my parents were more open to visiting Hawkins. They knew my grandma was no longer crazy - not that she ever was - and felt bad for the motivation behind our move. At the moment, my parents were debating going to visit for Christmas.

_"Mike's been planning a way to have you join the Party again for a game or two. We're thinking that you'll come out of your freeze and then be called off on a solo mission to help your mysterious family."_

"Ooh, spooky," I laughed, enjoying the idea. I made a note to talk to Bill to see if he had any ideas. He was always making little stories in his head.

 _"So, how are all of your new friends?"_ There was no malice or jealousy in Will's voice. He wasn't like that, he genuinely cared.

"Good! Bev is thinking of coming back to Derry for Halloween. And um, well, Stan and I are dating!" I rushed out, feeling the immediate relief of telling him. Stan and I weren't trying to hide our relationship, we couldn't care less about what people thought, but I hadn't told any of the party members because I wasn't sure how they'd react.

_"Really? That's so cool! Is he nice? Is he treating you right? When can I meet him? I can't wait to tell the other guys. They're gonna freak out!"_

"He's really nice, the sweetest besides you and Dustin. He treats me perfectly. I'm hoping I can come visit again during the summer and maybe bring some friends. Can you hold off telling the other guys for now? I should probably be the one to tell them."

 _"Oh, sure, if that's what you want. I feel like Mike would be kind of upset too, since El-"_ Will stopped, and my curiosity rose. Did Mike get and break up with a girlfriend at some point? Why had no one told me? _"I have to go, my mom is calling me."_

"Sure. I'll talk to you later. Say hi to everyone for me!"

Ending the call, I wrote out "Ask Mike about El" on the notepad I kept next to my bed. I'd have to call him soon to both catch up and see who that El person was. I also added that I had to call Lucas and Dustin and catch up with them as well, ignoring the pang in my gut. My calls with Dustin were always amazing because he was an expert on keeping the topic away from himself. Mike was always a bit off and moody - though I couldn't name a time he wasn't like that. Lucas was nervous, skirting around topics with less expertise. Will was a bit better but not perfect, as shown by his slip up. It made me sad, feeling like my old friends were keeping so many things from me, but I had to remind myself that I'd been keeping secrets my entire life.

On top of all that, I made a note to call my grandma. I'd left her several voicemails, but she never answered or called back. It worried me, but maybe she was working with the Council on something, or was helping out the community in Hawkins.

Wanting to distract myself from the phone for a bit, I stood and gave Castor a pet before leaving my room to talk to my parents.

"Mom? Dad? I was wondering when exactly you were thinking of going to visit grandma for Christmas- what's wrong?"

My parents were pale and nervous, sharing a mental conversation at the kitchen table as I walked in. They grew even more distressed when I asked what was wrong, causing anxiety to bubble in my stomach.

"We just got a call about your grandma."

"Yeah?"

"(Y/n), something's happened."

My heart sank. What was it? A rogue creature attack? Did she get in trouble with the Council? Was she discovered?

"She had a major heart attack last night," my dad explained quietly, "They rushed her to the hospital, but it had strained her heart too much. There was nothing they could do."

"No. No no no! She's fine! Because if she isn't, then that means-"

"We're so sorry, baby," my mom opened her arms for a hug, but my body was frozen in place. My vision faded in and out of focus. Castor was brushing up against my leg, having come out of my room when he sensed my distress, "They really did everything they could."

"Fuck," I didn't care to watch my language in front of them, not then.

"We're leaving for Hawkins in an hour to get everything sorted out. We should- (Y/n)!"

"(Y/n), come back!"

My parents called after me as I sprinted out of the house, sobbing while I grabbed my bike and took off down the road. I wasn't sure where to go. Somewhere, anywhere but the house. I was down the road in seconds, dropping my bike in the Uris' driveway and running across the yard to Stan's window. I'd been in his room once before for a study party with the losers when his parents were on a small mission trip for a weekend.

The window was on the second floor. Casting a spell to lift me up, I tapped on his window when it was complete. Stan was inside, reading a book, but his head jerked up when he saw me. Rushing over, he pulled his window open.

"What's wrong?" He asked, grabbing my hand to help pull me inside.

"It's my grandma. She- she- she-" I felt like Bill, but there was no way I could get the words out, and Stan didn't need to hear anymore than what I already said. He simply pulled me into a hug.

"I'm leaving for Hawkins later tonight. I'll probably be gone for a week or two."

"That's okay. Do you want me to call the Losers?" Stan asked in concern, "We can meet up at the clubhouse for a bit before you leave if you want."

"No, no. Just- can I stay here for a little bit?" I asked, trying to keep track of my breathing.

To take the time to call all the Losers together would be pointless. I'd have to go home soon, pack, and mourn the woman I looked up to within an 18 hour car ride.

"Of course, (Y/n)," Stan reassured, leading me over to sit on his bed. It was meticulously made, and I felt bad for wrinkling the pristine comforter. But then he sat next to me and grabbed my hand, and everything felt okay, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I haven't talked to her since we left Hawkins. She never answered the phone. I feel like there was so much I needed to know and now I just... she was my teacher, and my best friend, as sad as that sounds," I laughed sadly, "She gave me everything I would need to continue my magic-based education after we left, but it wasn't the same, you know?"

"You had a good relationship with her, and she loved you a lot if she could handle you all the time," Stan joked, causing me to laugh and nudge his arm, "You cherished your time with her, (Y/n)."

Nodding silently, I looked to the book he had been reading before I knocked on his window, "Can you read to me? Just for a little while?"

"For sure," Stan reached over to grab the book, opening to where he left off, "For a long time, the knock on birds was that they're stupid. Beady eyed and nut brained. Reptiles with wings. Pigeon heads. Tur- keys. They fly into windows, peck at their reflections, buzz into..."

Scooching a bit closer, I laid my head on Stan's shoulder. I'd have to go home and face reality soon enough. But for a while, just a little while, we were in our own little world where nothing was wrong. 


	12. Death

"No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear" (C.S. Lewis)

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**Chapter Eleven - Death**

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Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a psychopomp, serving to sever the last ties between the soul and the body, and to guide the deceased to the afterlife, without having any control over when or how the victim dies. Death is most often personified in male form, although in certain cultures Death is perceived as female (for instance, Marzanna in Slavic mythology, Dhumavati in Hinduism, or La Catrina in Mexico).

Throughout history, humans have had the misfortune of not understanding the existence of multiple genders, or lack thereof, which made our teaching crucial to our understanding of the world. Mermaids were often both, fairies switched between at least four very often, gnomes rarely identified with one, and there was a gender belonging to only one: Death. There was no other way to describe Death besides what it was. There was no need to be known as anything other than The End.

Death was endless, unkillable, and ever present in every corner of every universe that Eldritches vomited up without a care, and yet I still cursed it's very existence. Because I was in a car on my way to my old home the day before Halloween because Death had taken my grandma.

 _Do you hear me Death? You asshole. I'm sure you get plenty of people cursing you out all the time, but I'm different. I'm different,_ I thought intensely as we passed a sign announcing we were in Roane County _, I brought Georgie Denbrough back to life, so you must know what I can do. Every creature cowers before you, and no one has ever been able to summon back the dead without consequences outweighing the good. But all I got was a few burn scars._

"Holy shit," I whispered, my parents not noticing because of a conversation they were having in the front.

_That's why you took her, isn't it? That was my price to pay. Wasn't it? Wasn't it?!_

Shivering, I felt a deep cold settle over me. I reached over and pulled my blanket around my shoulders, having been used through the night as I tried to sleep. Death said no, that wasn't why she died. I was the bridge between Death and Life, destined to die yet bringing life. The two incomprehensible entities agreed there were no consequences for me.

 _So why?_ My eyes were wide. Death actually answered. I wasn't expecting that. I was just trying to vent my emotions, and instead I got an explanation.

Death said it was her time, and there was nothing else to it. The answer made me feel better and worse at the same time. Then Death added something that made me furious. Death said that she would not be like Georgie Denbrough. Her life was lived without interference.

Biting back my sobs, I closed my eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears from flowing. Death wouldn't answer anything else, but I felt thankful that Death communicated with me at all. I should have been screaming about how blessed I was, contacting the Council to inform them that strange things were happening to me, but talking to Death was a drop in the bucket of the strange things I'd lived through.

Reaching down, I pet Castor on my feet. He still looked like a fox as he should have, but when we got to Hawkins we'd put a long lasting illusion spell to make him seem like a tripod cat. Luna was up front by my mom's feet. It was a tight squeeze but we made it work, with Raven either flying with us or resting in the car.

"We're here," my mom announced from the passenger seat, peeking back to send me a smile. I gave her one back, fake and tearful, then turned to look out the window again.

Hawkins had barely changed in the year I was gone. No new stores, no old stores closed down, and yet I felt something different coming from the town. It was hard to explain, because unlike people, I was trying to read the aura of a large area.

It was very grey, a mix between the darkness I saw in It and the light I saw in the Losers Club. Most towns leaned one way or the other, but Hawkins was stuck in between two worlds.

My dad pulled into my grandma's driveway, and my heart stopped. Robotically, I took my luggage out of the car and walked into the home. It still smelled like her, like roses and something that you couldn't quite place - magic. She always smelt like magic.  
Things were frozen in the house. A book was open on the coffee table, things shuffled around in the kitchen as if she was still there.

Turning to the stairs, I took them two at a time to the second floor. I paused in front of her bedroom, but shook my head and kept moving. I stepped into the room I stayed in every summer. All of my normal trinkets were set up on the dresser, a few posters around the room and magic items laid about without a care in the world.

Reaching up, my hand wrapped around my necklace and clutched it tightly. From my pocket, I retrieved a tiny carving of a Painted Bunting, no bigger than my thumb. Unlike the other artifacts we passed around, this one was for me and Stan exclusively, and as I clutched two of my most precious items, I sat on the twin bed behind me and closed my eyes.

I missed her. I loved my parents more than anything, but I spent every summer of my life with her- even though my parents lived just down the road. She taught me about my heritage, my culture, and how to be proud of being different. She told me what my parents got me for Christmas if I asked, and she told me what questions would be on my tests if she got a vision about it. And I was ripped away from her, then in return, she was ripped away from me.

"(Y/n)," my dad knocked his knuckle gently against my door, "Your mom and I have a meeting with the funeral home soon. We'll take Percy with us so you won't have to watch him. You can stay here for a while if you like, order pizza. Or you could go find your old friends."

Nodding silently, I twirled the wood carving around in my hands. Sighing, my dad moved forward and sat at the foot of the bed.

"I can't pretend to know how hard this is for you, (Y/n). But your grandmother lived a wonderful life full of adventure. She was brave, and caring, and loved you more than anything else in the world. This was not the end of her life, but the start of her next one."

"I know dad," I whispered, fiddling with the bird even more, "It's just hard, y'know?"

Sighing, my dad pressed a kiss to my forehead, "We'll be back later. Maybe we can dig through the basement. Your grandma loved collecting things."

With that, he stood and left. I heard him and my mom moving around for a while, getting settled in the house and feeling things out. Then I heard the front door close, and the steady hum of the car in the driveway.

Staying in bed for a few moments longer, I finally gained the motivation to get up. Putting on my coat and shoes, I stepped into the garage. My grandma had bought me a bike for my birthday before I hit a growth spurt a few years before. I'd have to make do with it while I was in Hawkins.

The cold nipped at my skin as I began to pedal down the road, but it still felt nice, warmer than Derry in any case. Too stuck in my own thoughts, I hadn't noticed that I was taking the path to Mike Wheeler's house. It was so ingrained into my bones from all of our DnD games that I didn't need to think about which turn to make or what house it was.

When I first moved to Derry, I became friends with Bev because I didn't want anyone to replace the Party but things changed. I met the Losers Club, went through trauma with them, and formed an unbreakable magic bond. It was the Losers that could never be replaced, I knew that.

Still, that didn't stop my excitement from rising when I knocked on the Wheeler's front door, temporarily pushing aside my grief in favor of something better.

"Hi, can I- (Y/n), hi!" Mrs. Wheeler greeted me with a bright smile, "I heard you guys were back in town. I'm so sorry to hear about your grandma. I know you were close."

Word spreads fast in a town like Hawkins. We'd been there for probably around an hour or two, and my grandma died the night before, "Thank you Mrs. Wheeler... are they here?"

"Oh, yes! In the basement talking about Halloween. Maybe you could go with them?"

Blinking, I nodded once. I hadn't thought about Halloween since I found out my grandma died. October 31st was also Samhain, which would be the perfect day for my grandma's funeral. But it'd be short notice considering it was the next day.

Quietly making my way down the basement steps, I smiled upon seeing my oldest friends.

"I'm telling you, something is missing from the costume."

"Dustin, we have every member of the Ghostbusters and every detail down. What else do we need?"

"How about a ghost?"

The Party turned to me with wide eyes, as if seeing a ghost like I had suggested. They tripped over themselves like no tomorrow to get to me. I relished in the sense of normality that washed over me as they pulled me into a group hug. No trauma, no blood oaths, just a normal group of friends.

"Holy shit, you look ten years older," Dustin marvelled.

PTSD did that. I laughed it off, "So do you four. Look at you, all grown up! It's been a year since I saw you!"

"What's been going on in Derry?" Lucas questioned.

A clown kidnapped a bunch of kids and ate them, leading to the formation of my Circle and the resurrection of one such kid. "Nothing much. What about here?"

"Nothing."

"You know Hawkins."

"Nothing weird here."

"Besides me going missing, it's been boring."

Perhaps it was due to most of my energy going towards processing my grief, or my desperation to cover my trauma with something normal, but I missed their nervous looks and half assed excuses.

"Why are you back? I thought your parents refused to come back here," Mike asked bluntly, wincing when Lucas smacked his arm.

"Are you dumb? Haven't you heard your parents talking about it?" He hissed. Mike's face fell with realization, reminding me of the times Eddie legitimately snapped at Richie. It was jarring, going from Richie to Mike so quickly. They were twins in appearance, yet opposites in personality.

"It's okay." It didn't feel okay, "I saw her more than any kid should want to. So, have you replaced (Y/n) the Mage yet?" I moved over to the DnD board, taking a peek inside the box, "Where's the Demogorgon? Oh, wait, why is it on the bookshelf?"

"Because it's dead," Mike snapped, stomping over and snatching the figurine from my hand, "Why are you being so nosy?"

"What's your damage, Wheeler? I've asked, like, two questions," I defended myself, "I've been gone for a year. I missed you guys."

"We missed you too. Come on, we need to catch up," Will put a hand on my shoulder, ever the calming presence.

"Yeah- yeah!" Lucas caught on to the subject change, "Like, what's up with calling Mike 'Wheeler'? Don't tell me you replaced him."

"There's a Mike in Derry, so I had to figure something out."

"Is Mike your boyfriend? Did you get a boyfriend? Is he cool? Does he play DnD?" Dustin asked, quickfire.

"Mike isn't her boyfriend, Stan is."

"Will, I trusted you!" I screeched, flushing in embarrassment, "You were supposed to be good at secrets!"

All of them leaned in closer with renewed interest in my time in Derry. Sighing, I launched into the story of the Losers Club - leaving out a few key details.

As I was speaking, my eyes trailed over to the corner of the room, where a little fort was set up. In the middle of it, was Mike's walkie-talkie. Brows furrowing, I looked back to the guys and focused on the air around them. Shades of blue, red, and grey greeted me. They were the same colors the Losers now had on their bad days.

What caused that change?

~*~

The next day was Halloween. The Party still had school and I was stuck in my grandma's house all day with my parents and Percy, going through all her things and sorting them into piles. I found myself regularly picking things out of the donate pile and adding them to my own personal one.

Her funeral was to be on November 1st, still close enough to Samhain to be respectful. My parents said that they needed more time to cauldron call everyone, but I thought that they just wanted me to go out trick-or-treating to take my mind off things. I wasn't going to complain about it.

"Happy Halloween, Stan," I smiled into the phone, excited to talk to him even if it'd only been a day and a half.

_"Happy Halloween. Are you doing anything tonight or..."_

"Am I too sad? I'm okay. This'll get my mind off things for a bit. Besides, I can't let our costumes go to waste."

Dressed as a flapper with a fur coat to combat the cold, Stan was supposed to be my gangster counterpart. Neither of us were complete without the other, but it wouldn't stop us from having fun.

_"You're right. Call me tomorrow after- Richie, put that down!"_

_"Jesus, does everyone in your family have OCD? This place is too fucking clean. Hey Eds, I bet you love it, huh?"_

_"Shut the fuck up Richie."_

_"Under the eyes of God they must remain pure,"_ Bev teased, _"Hey, Mr. Mafia Boss, tell (Y/n) we say hi."_

Giggling, I assumed the Losers were meeting at Stan's place before going trick-or-treating, "Hi guys. I have to go, I need to be at Wheeler's in ten."

 _"Bye!"_ The seven screamed, making me pull away from the receiver.

Hanging up, I picked up my pillowcase and turned to yell up to my parents. They were already behind me. Jumping, I gave my dad a quizzical look.

"We found something in the basement we wanted you to have."

He held up a genuine flapper headdress, slightly yellowed with age. Gasping, I gingerly replaced my fake one with the genuine one. My grandma was a teenager in the 20s, and from It's temptations, I knew she was a flapper.

"You look just like her," my parents pulled me into a hug, likely to mask their tears.

"Okay, I gotta go. I gotta go," I laughed lightly, pulling out of their embrace, "I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

"Stay safe."

Castor was pacing around at my feet, his anxiety crossing through our bond - even if he was being unusually quiet about the whole thing. He'd be staying home. Better to have him away from me for a night than have people think I brought my cat along with me.

"Come on, guys, I think I can handle anything," I chuckled, stepping out of the house and beginning the short walk to Maple Street.

"Hey guys!" I greeted the three that were already there: Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. It seemed like we were waiting for Will.

"That's a cool costume," Dustin complimented.

"Thanks! Your costumes are cool too, really accurate!"

Sure enough, a minute later Johnathan pulled up and Will stepped out of the car with a large camera in his hand.

"Will!"

"Egon!"

"Yeah! You ready for tonight, man?"

Our group departed from the sidewalk to the nearest house, beginning a night of fun and forgetfulness of the real problems that were bubbling beneath the surface. For an hour, we walked around different neighborhoods, picking out the best houses that would give us the best candy.

"Trick or treat!"

"Well, aren't you cute? The little exterminators," an elderly lady dropped a piece of candy in each of our bags, "And a flapper! Oh, I remember my days as a little devil."

Laughing awkwardly, I nodded and moved on with the guys. They'd been called different things all night by old people who weren't up to date with newer movies.

"If I get another 3 Musketeers, I'm gonna kill myself," Lucas grumbled, peeking inside his bag.

"What's wrong with 3 Musketeers?"

"No one likes 3 Musketeers."

"It's just nougat," I shrugged.

"Whoa. Just nougat? It is top three for me," Dustin defended.

"Top three?"

"Top three! Seriously, I can just eat a whole bowl of nougat. Straight up."

A figure jumped in front of us, screaming menacingly. Jerking back, my hands raised in an automatic instinct to either defend my friends or kill the danger to us. It was an It vision. We'd failed the first time. I should have done more to kill It. Now It had followed me to where it knew I was isolated, and was going to eat me and the others-

Laughter erupted from the person in front of us, and a hand reached up to pull off the mask. A girl with Bev's same hair, simply longer, giggled to herself.

"Holy shit! You should have seen the look on your faces," she turned to Lucas, "And you? Who screams like that? You sound like a little girl."

All of us watched her in astonishment as she walked along like nothing happened. Tilting my head in confusion, my muscles relaxed slightly. It was a human, a harmless girl our age who had the same humorous side as Bev. Nothing to worry about.

"Who is that?"

"MadMax."

The girl turned around and paused, "Hey, you guys coming or not? Oh, I heard we should hit up Loch Nora. That's where the rich people live, right?"

Dustin and Lucas giggled like school girls, following her like lost puppies. They reminded of Ben and Bill. Knowing how that story ended, I sighed and walked next to Will behind the two, Mike trailing behind us.

~*~

"Another full-size. Like, seriously, rich people are such suckers," Dustin chuckled as we practically skipped down the walkway of another Loch Nora house. Max was right, we'd hit the jackpot, "Wait. You're not rich, right?"

"No, I live up Old Cherry Road."

"Oh."

"No, it's fine. I mean, the street's good for skating."

Max was an interesting character. A spitfire, but desperate for approval at the same time. She wanted a group to call her own, some sense of familiarity in a new town where she had no one to depend on but herself. I liked her already. She was strong.

"Did you agree to this?" Mike asked Will and me.

"What?"

"To her joining our party."

"It's just for Halloween," Will shrugged.

"They should have checked with me."

Punching Mike's shoulder, I rolled my eyes, "They were excited, Mike. They probably assumed you'd be okay with it, oh great party leader."

"She's ruining the best night of the year."

Grabbing Mike's arm, I pulled him along faster, lowering my voice, "Seriously Wheeler, what's your damage? Is it puberty? Are hormones messing with your head?"

"What? No!"

"Really? Because there has to be some reason as to why you're acting like an asshole. Everyone is trying to have fun. I know new members are hard to accept, but remember when I first tried to be friends with you guys?"

"You wouldn't give up for three months," Mike bit back a smile.

"And here we are. You don't have to like her, Wheeler. Just... try to stand her for a little while."

Taking note of our missing party member, I tapped Mike's shoulder, "Will's gone."

Immediately, panic bloomed. It was in Hawkins. Will was drawn off, just like he had when he went missing the year before. But it was different, because I had failed him. He was gonna be just like Betty Ripsom or Dorsey Cochran. Dead. Dead. Dead. What kind of witch was I?

But then I saw a flicker. A flicker of Will's impossibly bright aura that shone through the haze around the town.

"This way," I led Mike down a short flight of steps to Will's terrified form crouched behind a half-wall, "Will?"

He was staring straight ahead, seeing something beyond us. Mike tried to pull him out of it, but I wanted - needed - to understand. It would be an insight into how he was suffering, and why the ground was so tense and quiet about the past year. Kneeling in front of him, I placed my hands on either side of his head. Tapping twice on his temple, I whispered-

"Through his eyes."

The world around me shifted into something evil. Darkness rained, black goop covering every surface around me. The sky above was stuck in a thunderstorm.

"What is going on, Will?" I stood and surveyed the area, gasping when a black smoke shot towards me. Dropping to my knees, I shook Will frantically, "Will, Will!"

We snapped back a second later. Falling back, I shakily stood and helped Mike get Will to his feet.

"Go join the others," Mike ordered.

"Bullshit, Wheeler!" I cried, "Something is wrong with Will."

"Yeah, and I can help him. You don't know what's been going on, so just leave it alone.

Biting back the instinct to start a fight, I knew getting Will somewhere safe was more important.

"Holy shit!" Dustin cried, running down the stairs to us with Lucas and Max just behind him, "Is he okay?"

"I don't know. I'm gonna get you home, okay? I'm gonna get you home. Hold on." Dustin stepped in to help, but Mike pulled Will away, "I got him."

"Mike?"

"Keep trick-or-treating. I'm bored anyways."

In a split second decision I grabbed Will's arm as he ascended the stairs with Mike, "It's hanging over Hawkins like a disease. I see it, Will. Don't face this alone."

With wide eyes, Will stumbled away.

"What's wrong with him?" Max asked, genuinely concerned. Neither Lucas nor Dustin answered her.

We returned to the streets after that, our concern and Mike's shitty attitude setting a cloud over our previously happy moods. What I saw through Will's eyes bothered me too. What was that world? Why was Will seeing it? Did it have something to do with his disappearance?

"When did they start?" I finally asked Dustin as our night slowed down. He was the most likely to give up information.

"He just has episodes sometimes. They started after he went missing."

"What are they about?" I knew firsthand, but context would have been nice.

"Uh, I don't know."

Sending him a glare, I sighed in exasperation. They were all hiding something dark. There was more to Will going missing than him getting lost for a week, an explanation to the darkness looming over my hometown.

"Bullshit," I muttered, "Why don't you trust me?"

Gaining a stutter that could rival Bill's, Dustin tried to come up with an excuse. Finally he leaned in and lowered his voice.

"Because you're a member of the Party I know you're trustworthy,but if you can't handle the truth and you tell someone we'll all be killed."

"Grody," I muttered. What did they get themselves into while I was gone? Stupid boys. No wonder everything went to hell.

"I'll consult the others on one condition," Dustin spit on his hand, holding it out.

"Name it," I spit on mine, shaking his. It wasn't as serious as a blood pact or the bloodline vows magic users could make, but I took it seriously because the rest of the Party did. We'd hold each other to our promises.

"You tell me what really happened in Derry. Why you're so paranoid- trick or treat!"

"Trick or treat," I wheezed, yanking my hand away to hold up my pillowcase. I shouldn't have accepted so readily.

When we moved on to the next house, Max moved from Lucas' side to mine. She held out her hand for me to shake.

"I'm Max," she greeted as if I didn't already know.

"(Y/n)," I shook her hand with a smile, giving her a once over, "So when did you move here?"

"A couple of weeks ago. How'd you know?"

"I haven't seen you around here before, and everything about you screams outsider. Don't worry though, in a town like Hawkins that can be a good thing."

Chuckling, Max looked to Dustin and Lucas who were squabbling ahead of us.

"What about you? When did you move back? You know those stalkers but I haven't seen you around either."

"I'm here for a week because of some family stuff. I used to live here but moved around a year ago."

"Well, I like you more than those idiots," Max motioned to Dustin and Lucas.

"Thanks. You remind me of someone who's really badass, so I like you too." I thought of Bev, who made her home with a group of rowdy boys just like I did. Who wouldn't take shit and wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

Despite Mike's obvious disdain for the redhead, I wouldn't be against letting her join the Party permanently. Not that my vote meant much anymore.


	13. Father Time

"Father time is undefeated, but that doesn't mean you have to quit fighting" (Stephen Siraco)

🔮

**Chapter Twelve - Father Time**

🔮

Father Time is the personification of time. In recent centuries he is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, sometimes with wings, dressed in a robe and carrying a scythe and an hourglass or other timekeeping device (which represents time's constant one-way movement, and more generally and abstractly, entropy).

The ancient Greeks themselves began to associate chronos, their word for time, with the agricultural god Cronos, who had the attribute of a harvester's sickle. The Romans equated Cronos with Saturn, who also had a sickle, and was treated as an old man, often with a crutch. The wings and hour-glass were early Renaissance additions, and he eventually became a companion of the Grim Reaper, personification of Death, often taking his scythe. He may have as an attribute a snake with its tail in its mouth, an ancient Egyptian symbol of eternity.

Time itself is quite interesting. Time gives legitimacy to its existence. Time is the only true unit of measure. It gives proof to the existence of matter. Without time, we don't exist. The concept of time being an illusion was always completely false.

If I heard "sorry for your loss" one more time I was gonna stab something in the eye. I knew only half of them knew who I was, if that.

Along with my family at my grandma's funeral was the Hendersons, Wheelers, Sinclairs, and Byers. The Talbot families from London and Bolivia were there. High ranking members from the council mingled with each other. A few stray Hawkins residents from with my friends families along with Sheriff Hopper who looked sober despite his obvious exhaustion. Then there were the people from my grandma's past. All of them screamed class with some spunk beneath the surface. No wonder they were friends with her.

Our service took place around my grandma's coffin. The High Caster of the National Council spoke first.

"Marie Anne Talbot was a gift to us all. Her contributions to society will be sorely missed, as will her power. Throughout her life she was always pushing the boundaries of what was possible. I hope that trait carried on," the High Caster sent my family a tight smile, and my heart stopped. Did he know of my power? "Because those are the people to pave the way for the future."

I could breathe again. It was meant to be inspiring. A few more people went after that including my dad and a friend of hers who told an amazing story about the two of them in the forties. I was last. I had an hour that morning to write something, and it was half of what I really wanted to say to her.

"My grandma was my best friend. She taught me a lot about the world and who I am. She did tons of crazy things when she was younger," I forced a laugh to keep myself from crying, "Through her, I see the type of person I want to become," I gave the Party a pointed look, "Someone who always strives to understand and help those in need. She'll be missed... I'll miss her more than anything, but I don't think she'd want us to mourn. She'd want us to celebrate the life she lived, and the life she left behind. So, thank you Grandma. Stay watching."

I left another letter in the fold of her casket, the one that held the other half of what I'd wanted to say. Then I stepped back, and let my tears flow as she was lowered into the ground. We stayed in the cemetery for a little bit after that, accepting more condolences.

"That was an... interesting sermon," Ted Wheeler commented, glancing at the High Caster.

That made me smirk. Outsider expected a quiet, Christian ceremony full of Bible verses and the word of God. Instead they got close friends letting her spirit know it was okay to move on, and they completely missed the crystals, herbs, and spells we left inside her coffin.

"You good?" Dustin gave me a tight hug.

"I'm getting there. Thanks for coming."

"If you're up to it, we'll have our party meeting tomorrow."

24 hours to figure out how to explain Pennywise and my family. Awesome.

"Okay."

"Was your grandma part of a cult?" Dustin eyes the council members wearily.

"No. It's, well I guess I'll explain it when we meet up tomorrow."

"Alright. Tomorrow morning, your house?"

"Ten, sharp."

Lucas and Mike passed through, then Will. If there was a woman I missed as much as my grandma when I was away from Hawkins, it was Joyce Byers. She was a total badass.

"Hey, honey," Joyce bent to give me a hug then moved on to my parents.

"Here," Johnathan handed me a mixtape, "You and Will were always the music buffs."

"Thank you, Johnathan." Even though Johnathan and I never talked much, we were still closer than I was with Nancy Wheeler.

"Did you mean what you said?" Will asked me, quieter than normal, "About being there?"

"Of course, Will. Has Dustin talked to you guys yet?"

"Yeah, and all of us are willing to talk. Even though Mike complained about it," Will smiled slightly, "You won't think we're crazy when we tell you, right?"

"Will, you could tell me unicorns are real and I'd believe you," it was a total figure of speech. Unicorns were complete fiction.

We went home soon after that. Percy needed a bottle and I needed a nap. I was arely one step into my room when my mom called me back downstairs.

"Beverly," she explained shortly.

"Hey Bev," I greeted.

_"Hey. How are you? I know it's been tough."_

"I'm okay. Getting better. Tonight I'm going to go through her things to see what I can find."

_"That's nice. I'm glad to hear things are going okay... I have a weird question."_

"Okay?"

_"How did we meet the Losers Club? It's weird, I remember all of our phone calls and Halloween just fine, but the summer just has a giant haze over it. Part of me wonders why we're so close in the first place."_

"Wait, do you mean you don't remember It?"

_"I remember some things. The quarry, Neibolt... January Embers- but whenever I leave Derry my memory gets worse."_

Thinking back to that summer, I realized with a fright that Bev was right. Had I met the boys at school before we formed the club? How long was the club seperated? In what order did they visit me? My clearest memories were the most important ones; saving Ben, the rock war, Neibolt the second time, the vow, and kissing Stan. I hadn't even realized that my memories were slipping away from me.

_"(Y/n)? You okay?"_

Snapping out of it, I pinched the bridge of my nose to fight off my impending headache, "Yeah, I'm good. I think something is around Derry, like a field of some sort. I'll figure this out. Oh, and you helped us shoplift for Ben because Bowers cut him up."

 _"Ben,"_ there was a strange fondness in Bev's voice, _"Yeah, the New Kid. I'll talk to you soon. My aunt's gonna be home soon and if she finds out I was on the phone... good luck."_

"Thanks Bev. I'll figure this out."

Hanging up the phone, I sighed. Bev went from one bad situation to another. Although her aunt was marginally better, she wasn't afraid to get her point across. If I could save her I would in a heartbeat.

It seemed like the fog over Derry was a memory adjuster. Anything related to It would go first, then out other memories.

"Memory enhancer and preserver," I decided on, taking the stairs two at a time to reach my room, I pulled out my grimoire and flipped through quickly.

First was the enhancer. Three taps to my temple, a hand on the heart, and a twist of my neck. Warmth spread through my body, and I practically watched the fog lift. After that was a few flicks and some twitching fingers to keep the memories protected. I focused the spell on those closest to me- my parents and the Losers Club. I left out Georgie. He didn't have to remember what happened if he ever left Derry.

Thinking back to the summer, everything was crystal clear. Well, almost everything. The steps I took to bring Georgie back were blurry, the hand motions and words. That was probably my price to pay, and that was okay. Deep down, I knew I would remember if I ever needed it again. It was all instinctual.

Feeling a lot better that I could solve such a big problem so quickly, I moved on to the bigger demon waiting in the basement. The basement was similar to the Wheeler's in size, but instead of action figures and a DnD board, there were boxes upon boxes of items my grandma had collected over the years. My parents and I had gotten through a large chunk on our first day. The dates on the boxes we went through went back to the 50s. They were full of pictures of my parents and me, of baby clothes and childish art. There was barely anything belonging to my grandma herself due to the stage of life she was in.

Today I'd be going back even further, hopefully going all the way back to the twenties where she was at her youngest and most dangerous according to Pennywise.

Castor was taking a nap. One of the side effects of the potion we had him on to change his appearance was increased drowsiness. Part of me was tempted to wake him up and force him to follow me downstairs. But I pushed the temptation down. Some things I had to face on my own.

Box number one was baby things belonging to my father, meaning I was entering the forties. It was cute, seeing old grainy pictures of my dad laughing on my grandpa's shoulders. My grandpa had died nearly ten years before, and because of that I didn't have many memories with him.

Running my finger over my dad's face, I smiled, an idea popping into my head. Setting the photo down in front of me, I cast a spell I'd never used before, but knew well enough to try. It should have given me a quick glimpse into the past, into the scenario behind the picture. What came along with the comfortable warmth in my body was electricity in my veins, a surge of power, and then I was in a field.

The basement had become a collage of watercolors, a moving painting of the past. I saw my father, young and still clinging onto a few traces of baby fat, screaming and sprinting around the field near Lover's Lake. Then a man came up behind him, tall, broad shouldered, harboring a bright smile. He scooped my father up, eliciting more shrill screams.

 _"Alright boys, it's time to settle and eat,"_ my grandma prompted, calling them over to a large picnic blanket with food set out on it, _"Oh wait, picture first!"_

The camera was large and clunky, unlike modern Polaroids, but my grandma set it up with ease. She peeked into the lense and said, _"Cheese!"_

The picture greyed slightly, but remained. Reaching into the box again, I dug around until I found something else, an even smaller box of letters. Skimming through a few of them, I realized they were from my grandpa to my grandma. He was on the frontlines of WWII.

 _"My dearest Marie,"_ my grandpa was right next to me, swirls of purples under his eyes revealing how tired he truly was. He was in a bunker of some sort, writing like he was running out of time, _"My heart aches the longer I have to be away from you. I realize you're likely still angry with me for enlisting, but you know better than anyone that I'm the best chance my platoon has at survival."_

Then my grandma was there, reading the letter while running a hand over her stomach. She was pregnant when my grandpa was fighting? I never knew that. Tears were running down her face, but she wasn't sobbing or sniffling, simply reading.

_"Funny. Years ago, you'd laugh and wish death upon me. I realize that our marriage was arranged under the idea of continuing a pure magic bloodline, but I would have pursued you regardless."_

"An arranged marriage," I whispered. It made sense. There wasn't a large population of magic users in the world, to have two purebloods marry was rare. But arranging it wasn't. Grandma didn't love Grandpa at first, but I saw the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about him, the tenderness in her smile when she took the photo. She grew to love him and their little family.

_"I saw you Marie, your strength and independence, and I knew I'd fall to my knees and worship you every day if it meant chasing your demons away, the ones I see swimming in your eyes sometimes. Now you love me, you love me. And I feel as though I could fight this war single-handedly if it means returning home to you."_

My grandma actually sobbed. I realized with a start that Grandpa likely didn't know Grandma was pregnant. She wouldn't have told him either, not when he seemed so determined to help with the war.

_"I send this with strength you already have. I love you, Marie."_

The other letters were along the same line, extremely poetic declarations of love and promises to return home and give her the life he'd dreamed they could have together. I didn't send any of them into the awaiting spell. I simply read them and moved on. The next box held more war memorabilia from my grandpa; medals of valor and old bullets. I found a picture of what must have been his platoon at the time. I sent that into the paint around me.

 _"Arthur we need to leave!"_ A man yelled at my grandpa. The scene that formed was brutal. A battlefield, full of dead bodies and blood. Grandpa was holding a man close, a man with a gash in his leg so big that I was surprised he was still alive.

 _"You're going to be okay, Fred. You'll be fine,"_ my grandpa ignored the chaos around him, the splashes of red and brown that splashed against the canvas in violent displays of death.

 _"Go,"_ Fred grit out, _"Get out of here."_

 _"Never, never you dumb bastard,"_ Grandpa hissed, _"Riley, go join the others."_

The man who yelled at my grandpa scoffed and ran off.

_"You're the dumb bastard. You're going to get yourself killed. I'm dead, Arthur. I've got ten minutes at most. Just hand me my gun."_

My grandpa reached down Fred's leg and hovered his hand over the gushing injury. Gold watercolor dripped from my grandpa's hand to the large gash. The gash stiched itself up completely, not even a scar left behind.

 _"Impossible,"_ Fred said exactly what I was thinking, _"Devil's work."_

_"I'm no devil, Freddie. Get up, I'll explain everything tonight. If you want to shoot me go ahead. I trust you and your ability to keep quiet."_

_"Fuck, Arthur, you know me too well."_

My grandpa helped Fred to his feet, and I noticed a new limp in his step, blood seeping through his uniform pants. That was his price to pay.

The painting greyed. Clutching the picture tightly, my thoughts went a mile a minute. My grandpa saved a man's life with an unnatural ability, an impossible gift. A healing spell could make something stop bleeding, numb it, stop infection, or completely heal it only if it was small enough. Fred should have died regardless.

Eyes widening in realization, I took a step toward the 3D painting of my grandpa, "I got it from you!"

Grandpa had a healing gift that passed on to me on a much more powerful level. I wished that I could have spent more time with my grandpa. Things would have been easier if I was with someone who could teach me about what I could do.

The rest of the boxes didn't hold much that I wanted to see play out. I got to watch my parents and grandparents get married - all of the wedding things were in one box - and watched my grandma compete in the "Magix Tournament'', a competition I didn't know existed.

By that point I'd made it to the twenties. I saw gorgeous pictures of my grandma as she fought for equal rights and government action. She wrote poems and diary entries like she was running out of time when she was seventeen. It ranged from musings of love to random scribbles of-

"Adolf Hitler rises, JFK shot, Arthur recieves promotion, first child- (Y/n) and the seven." I whispered each prophecy, growing more and more terrified. My grandma said she only got a larger vision every decade. Smaller, insignificant ones came more often.

 _"Marie you must take this!"_ A painting had formed without me noticing. A severe looking woman was holding a potion out to my grandma.

_"I won't, Mother. These visions are too important. I can't suppress them."_

_"Stupid girl. They're unnatural Marie! You heard the doctor, your heart can't handle it."_

_"Don't speak to me of the unnatural, Mother. The man I will marry, Arthur as you've decided, will be able to heal me and keep me alive."_

_"And if he passes before you?"_

_"Then I'll hold on long enough."_

_"Long enough for what?"_

Grandma's eyes flicked over to me, and I felt her staring into my soul, searching for something, _"For her."_

Greying, the painting stayed in place. I stared down my grandma, as if waiting for her to come back to life and give a further explanation. But nothing happened. I knew she was talking about me. She knew about me and the Loser's Club in the twenties, that much was clear. So she pushed herself to survive another ten years after her healer was gone to teach me, to make sure I was prepared to kill It.

"She had a heart attack," I finally put the pieces together. She died because of her visions, because her heart could no longer handle it and she had nothing to hold onto anymore. Her mission was complete.

With shaking hands I went to the last box. It was the farthest back in the basement, and probably the heaviest. A 20s radio, some flapper dresses, photographs, and- a gun and a small notebook. Flicking open the notebook, a painting burst to life in front of me with a loud _pop!_

 _"We warned you, didn't we? What would happen if we caught you skimming off our giggle water. I know the stuff is the bee's knees, but you should have controlled yourself,"_ my grandma paced in front of a blubbering man who was probably in his late thirties. She was sixteen at most.

_"I'm sorry. I won't do it again, never again!"_

_"I wish I could believe that, but you went to a cop, and now we've had three shipments confiscated!"_ My grandma screamed, calming quickly and running a hand through her hair, _"You're a snitch, Charles. Probably been working with the blues for years."_

_"No-"_

_"Bushwa, Charles! Don't fucking lie to me! I've got people to protect, Charles,"_ my grandma fiddled with a gun in her hands, _"Things to do."_

_"Marie, please don't kill me!"_

My grandma laughed, _"You slay me! You think I'm gonna kill ya? No, no, no, Charles. I've got something much worse in mind for a vamp like you."_ Grandma knelt down in front of him, her eyes dark with anger, _"Do you believe in the devil, Charles?"_

Nodding once, twice, the man began to sweat, _"I- I do."_

 _"Do you believe in God, Charles?"_ Grandma continued, her eyes growing even darker. It was terrifying, seeing her so young and threatening.

_"Yes."_

Leaning in close, Grandma whispered, _"Welcome to Hell, Charles. No God is comin' to save you now. It's just you, and the devil herself."_

The man whimpered. Grandma stepped back, shifting her hands in a pattern I'd never learned. Darkness seemed to flood into the room, splotches of black and red surrounding the pair. I could see anything but the red hues stark against the black. Then there was Charles, screaming for help, and my grandmother, standing back, still moving her hands around.

_"What's my name, Charles?"_

Charles didn't answer. She flicked her wrist and he cried out, _"Ma-Marie Alden!"_

 _"That's right. But that's not the name you'll remember when they drag your body out of here. So, remember this Charles,"_ my grandma knelt in front of him, _"Never fuck with a Talbot."_

Another jerk, another scream, and I was pulled out of the painting. Gasping for air as if I was suffocated by the smoke, I took a few moments to collect myself. I never knew my grandma could be so vicious, though it made sense when I thought about it. It explained she knew so much about battle magic when my father seemed to only know practical spells, why she was so strict with my teachings- talking about killing or being killed. She'd lived through danger, and she always emerged victorious.

Finally able to read the book, I realized it was a more honest diary than the ones I'd read before, dedicated to all the gang activities my grandmother was participating in (and often running). I assumed that the diary was protected by a blood spell, so only her family would be able to open it.

A grimoire sat at the very bottom. A quick flip through revealed more battle spells than I thought possible, much more violent than the ones I was taught as a child. But all of them were effective, scarily so. I wondered if my grandma had created any of them, maybe all of them. The early 1900s were a large time for magic discovery and creation. Just under the cover of the grimoire was a letter, newer than everything else in the box and addressed to me.

"(Y/n)," my grandma appeared in front of me. Not a watercolor painting, not a hazy mist of a spirit, but her, "Hi. If you're reading this letter, that means I've died. I saw this day coming for around two years, but that hasn't prepared me for having to say goodbye to you. (Y/n), my pride and joy. My son created you out of a true love, one that his father and I barely had to push. You are so, so powerful, and you don't even realize. I hope as you move on with your life, you see how much potential you have. You will go on to do amazing things with your life, things that will change the world. By this point, you've seen things from my path that I would have preferred to keep from you. I hope you don't look at me differently now that you've seen my past. The Twenties were a hard time, (Y/n), and I did what I had to. (Y/n), I'm sorry for what you had to go through. Pennywise the Clown was a formidable foe, but you and your Circle took care of him with a sense of bravery and comradery I haven't seen in fifty years. Your grandfather did the same thing in the second world war.

"Don't hide yourself from those who truly matter, (Y/n). Be proud, and trust your heart. There are many in this world who are worthy of knowing our secret, and it is _your_ choice in who you tell. Don't listen to the council's rules about keeping silent. Strength doesn't always come from secrecy. Often, it can be found in others. Use the strength I know you have, and face adversity with a smile. I wish I had a hundred more years to give to you, but this is all I can offer. Take it, and go into battle laughing. My darling girl, everything you do will fill me with pride. I love you. Sincerely, Grandma."

She was gone. Taken away in death as quickly as she had been in life. Holding the letter close to my chest, I wiped away my tears and smiled- just as she said. Taking one of the now empty boxes, I filled it with the items I had dubbed as mine, struggling under the weight as I carried it up two flights of stairs to my room.

I'd go through the items again later, mourn and reminisce over them and their meaning to me. At that moment, all I needed was a phone.

"How are you doing?" My dad asked me as I stepped into the living room.

"Alright. I finished going through her things. It made me feel better, processing how crazy of a life she lived. She didn't have anything else to accomplish," _because she was staying alive to teach me_ , "I think I'll be okay."

"That's good," my mom jumped into the conversation, "We're glad you're mourning, but we're also glad you're okay with moving on."

"I am, I really am. Is it okay if I call the uh, one of my friends?" I didn't specify which one, but they could probably figure out who from the heat that rose in my face.

"Of course, go ahead."

Picking the phone up off the wall between the kitchen and the living room, I dialed Stan's house phone and walked into the kitchen as far as the wire would allow.

_"Uris residence."_

"Good evening, Mr. Uris. This is (Y/n) (L/n), I'd like to speak to Stan. I'm out of tow-"

_"Stanley! He'll be here soon."_

His dad didn't even ask why I was calling. Things had really changed since his bar mitzvah. His parents didn't seem to be as overbearing as before. Stan had already proven himself to be a "disgrace", so they wouldn't care if he was talking to a girl anymore. He had nothing to prove.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Stan."

_"(Y/n), I was about to call you. How are you?"_

"Alright. I went through my grandma's things today, it was therapeutic, actually. She left me a note. I'll explain to the entire Losers Club when I get back, but there was more to her than I thought."

 _"More than her being a little old lady?"_ Stan asked with a small chuckle.

"Who knew Stan Uris had a sense of humor."

_"Richie came over today so we could study together, he rubbed off on me. All he did was fawn about Eddie."_

"They need to get together," I giggled, "They've been pining over each other as long as I've known them. If you can pluck up the courage to ask me out, then they can too."

Stuttering over his words, Stan fought to spit out a comprehensible sentence. I imagined him, all red in the face thinking of our first kiss(es) just like I was, _"That was- it was different. We've been together for_ months _-"_

"Only a month, actually. But we've gone on a date almost every week since we got together, so it's okay."

_"And we don't make out in the hallways like every other couple does."_

"Ugh," I cringed at the image, "You're right. I think that's fate telling us we aren't a normal highschool relationship. Eddie and Richie on the other hand..."

_"All the time."_

"Wouldn't keep their hands off each other," I added, paused, and continued, "We'll make a plan when I get back."

_"Great. Um, I should go. I hear my parents talking in the other room. Probably about how disappointed they are that I'm talking to a girl."_

"You're one of the great disappointments of the world," I added sarcastically, "I'll be back home in a few days. We still have a few legal things to go over."

_"See you soon, (Y/n). Stay strong, I know you are."_

_"I send this with strength you already have. I love you, Marie."_ My grandpa's words rang through my ears, and I flushed, smiling.

"Bye, Stan."

Later that night The Party showed up at my house one by one. Will, Lucas, Dustin, then Mike. I called them after Stan and asked if we could move our talk up, and Dustin seemed relieved to hear it, admitting that he wanted to get it over with but didn't want to be insensitive. They had school the next day and I just wanted to listen and move on. My parents sensed that something was going on and informed us they had a meeting with my grandma's lawyer to go over her will, leaving us alone.

"So..."

"You want to know what happened last year," Will started, "It's, well..."

"You're probably gonna think we're crazy. What we're about to tell you sounds like a sci-fi movie," Lucas concluded.

Chuckling, I thought of everything I went through the past summer, "I swear to you, nothing you say will be crazy enough for me not to believe you."

Mike began, albeit grumpily, "It started when Will went missing. We all knew something was wrong because Hawkins isn't that big and taking our normal roads wasn't hard at all..."

All of them spun a tale. A tale of monsters and mad scientists, of government involvement and faked deaths. There was another world just under Hawkins, the "Upside Down". Scientists in Hawkins Labs had opened a portal by experimenting on a girl all the boys called El. I could tell they all cared for her in their own way, Mike the most emotional about the situation. He loved her the most.

When the scientists found out what the boys were doing to bring Will back - who was on the verge of death in the Upside Down - they went after them to get Eleven back and hide what they had done. But she fought back, and finally killed the Demogorgon for good at the expense of her own life. Things went back to normal after that. Well, sort of. The group that had gone through everything, the Byers family, the Party, Mike's sister, and Chief Hopper, were a lot closer and trusted each other more than anyone else.

"But it's not over," I cut in when it seemed like the story was coming to a close, "Because Will is still having visions, he's still stuck."

Will shrunk under all of our attention, but it needed to be said. It wasn't over because something was still after him, and there was still a darkness over the town. Something was brewing, and it was about to boil over.

"What about you?" Dustin changed the subject to Will's relief.

"What?"

"The other end of our deal. Where you tell what happened in Derry cause you've been jumpy."

"And paranoid."

"But you seem a lot stronger."

"You're acting like you see what I do."

I had been so absorbed in the tale they were weaving that I completely forgot about my end of the deal, "Oh! Right, well, I guess what you said to me applies to you too. It's going to sound fake, and made up, but I guess all of us should believe each other for that reason. First off, I'm a witch. Not a crystal loving, essential oils, modern world witch, but a real witch. With magic and spells and all that. Here, I'll show you."

And I spun my own tale. One of love and loss and the greatest fears of a misfit group of teenagers. There were times when the others would cut in for clarification, like asking about what It looked like the first time we went into the Neibolt house or if they could see a scar or two. I'd been wearing long sleeves since I arrived so the faint burn scars on my arms were hidden. The scar on my hand and the large one on my shoulder were a bit more obvious.

I left out a few things. Like what happened when the Losers visited me when we'd split up, or how Stan and I got together in the first place. Those things were private, just for me and the parties involved. If the guys ever discovered my secrets I knew they'd understand my secrecy.

At the end of it the guys were struck dumb and I was on the verge of tears. It was extremely therapeutic, being able to talk through everything that happened with people that would listen and ask curious questions, not suspicious questions. People that wouldn't burn me at the stake. Castor had left my lap at some point to wander around the circle as if he could bring comfort to them. All of them seemed hesitant to touch him, expecting him to bite because he was a fox in disguise.

"Well, shit, I guess we've all been through some weird shit," Dustin finally exclaimed.

Laughing, I agreed, "It's all fucked up. At least we believe each other, right?"

"Yeah, but you can't tell anyone. We could be killed if the government finds out," Lucas ordered seriously.

"And I could be killed if anyone finds out who I am," I shrugged casually, "I get it. I'm good at keeping secrets at this point. Sorry for not telling you guys until this point. I used to be terrified of anyone finding out. It's one of our cardinal rules, not to tell anyone unless they're a life partner. But screw that, you know?"

Unsure of what to do after that, we watched one of the movies I found around the house. It was quiet, and I knew that all of us were pondering what we'd revealed to each other. Secrets and adventures not meant for normal ears. But then I noticed something new. A string. Thinner and more translucent than the one with the Losers Club, but I saw it. Our friendship had formed again. It wasn't a Circle, and it would never lead to the bond I had with the Losers, but I couldn't bring myself to care.


	14. Gnomes

"Shmebulock" (Shmebulock, Gravity Falls)

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**Chapter Thirteen - Gnomes**

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A gnome is a diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characteristics have been reinterpreted to suit the needs of various storytellers, but it is typically said to be a small humanoid that lives underground.

Gnomes were little pests more often than not, digging around in flower beds and stealing lawn decorations if they find them pretty enough. Magic users were at peace with them, but that didn't mean they wouldn't cause trouble when they wanted to.

When Dustin's voice came over my walkie, spouting some nonsense about a new pollywog that ended up being from the Upside Down, I thought he was talking about a gnome, being the ugly little creatures they were.

"Dustin, slow down," I prompted, glad I brought my walkie with me from Derry, "What's going on?"

_"Mike and Will are freaking out about it and we don't know what to do. He keeps growing. We need your help."_

"Give me ten minutes to get over there," I grabbed Stan's and my Painted Bunting figurine and shoved it into my pocket, sprinting down the stairs and yelling out an excuse to my parents.

Jumping onto my bike, I pedalled with all of my might towards Hawkins High. I didn't miss that school. I hated it with a burning passion, actually, but my friends needed me.

 _"(Y/n), you there?"_ Dustin's voice crackled through again.

"Yep, what's going on?"

_"We're in the AV room now. Tell her what you told us, Will."_

_"I saw the creature before, in the Upside Down. That's where it's from. On Halloween you said you saw the darkness hanging over Hawkins, I've been seeing it too in episodes."_

_"We think Will acquired True Sight when he was in the Upside Down."_

_"True sight?"_ Lucas questioned.

The school was in sight, people lingering outside as school had just gotten out.

_"It gives you the power to see into the ethereal plane."_

_"Elaborate."_

Hopping off my bike, I put it into the bike rack and took my walkie with me, answering Lucas' demand as I stepped into the school.

"The episodes Will keeps having aren't flashbacks at all," walking into the building, I winced at what I saw around me. I could have been spending my sophmore year in Hawkins, gross, "Will is seeing directly into the Upside Down. Where are you?"

_"AV room still."_

_"So that would mean..."_

_"Dart is from the Upside Down."_

_"We have to take him to Hopper."_

I saw the AV room, Max leaning against the door outside, raising a brow I questioned, "Don't tell me you aren't telling Max about any of this."

 _"We can't let you into the room in case she comes in with you. Signing off,"_ Mike stated, then the walkie went silent.

"Mike? Mike, don't be an asshole!" I snapped, catching Max's attention.

"You're here too?"

"They called me over here, but now they refuse to let me in the room," I motioned to the door with a huff.

Pulling open her bag, Max retrieved a paper clip and pulled it apart. Kneeling in front of the door, I watched in amazement as she expertly picked the lock.

"Should I ask where you know this or..."

Shrugging it off, Max mumbled, "It's an acquired skill. I don't know why they want me to hang out with them if they're going to leave me out like this."

The story of what happened the year before wasn't mine to tell, but that didn't mean Max didn't deserve to know. I'd only known her for a short amount of time, but I knew she was trustworthy and would not only keep the Party's secrets, but help out with them as well. I'd have to bring up the prospect of telling them when everything passed over.

"Boys," I chuckled, leaning forward when she swung the door open.

A slimy creature hopped past our feet, and both of us jerked back when it got too close. The boys came barreling out after it, Dustin slamming straight into Max and knocking both of them to the ground.

"What the hell was that?"

"You let it go!" Mike yelled.

"Go, don't let it get away!"

"Don't hurt him. Don't you hurt him!" Dustin screamed as all of us got to our feet and sprinted after the tiny creature.

"When you said you found a creature I didn't think it would be that fucking ugly!" I shrieked as it turned and was out of sight. Definitely not a gnome, "Okay, this isn't going to work. Everyone split up!"

Each of us took a different hallway, going off on our own. Even though it was my suggestion, anxiety still rose within me. Being on our own was stupid. It was an easy way to get lost, or caught. Easy to get picked off one by one, dismembered, eaten, and left alone to float for eternity-

Stopping my thoughts in place, I paused in the middle of the hall to collect myself. We were dealing with something dark, and something that could very well eat us, the Upside Down was different. There was no clown, no floating children, just a monster and a parallel universe. Piece of cake, really.

 _"East is clear. No sign of Dart,"_ Mike reported after a solid ten minutes of searching.

_"West is clear, too. Will?"_

_"South is clear. Lucas?"_

_"Nothing here, man."_

_"(Y/n)? Any witchy stuff you can do to speed this up?"_

Huffing in annoyance, I peeked into my tenth classroom, not even entirely sure what I was looking for in the first place, "I never had any contact with it so I don't know what I'd be able to cast. I don't know if a location spell would work since he's from a different dimension, and I can't exactly cast a wide spread elimination spell because Dustin insists Dart needs to stay alive."

The channel was silent for a few seconds before Dustin finally chimed in with, _"That was so damn cool."_

Rolling my eyes, I stepped into another classroom. Sighing in disappointment when I came up with nothing yet again, I pinched the bridge of my nose. The most obvious clues were that the Upside Down was becoming active again, hinting towards a portal still being open despite the Party saying that El had closed it. I couldn't leave them to handle it on their own. I'd even convince my parents to stay longer if I had to.

"Where are you guys at?" I asked into the talkie.

 _"I'm with Mike in the gym,"_ Max answered, likely using Mike's walkie to communicate.

"Alright, I'll head over to you- oof!" Grunting when a body collided with mine, I winced when my walkie hit the floor with a _crash_ , "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

I crashed into a girl, dressed in clothes that were too big for her. If I had to guess, I'd say they were a grown man's clothes. Her hair was around the same length as Bev's but curlier and her eyes stared me down with an intensity I hadn't seen from anyone else in Hawkins.

"You know Mike?" She asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

Brows furrowing, I nodded. I hadn't seen her around the school before, nor had I seen her around town at all, "Yeah, and you are?"

The girl didn't answer, she gave me a once over, frowned, and turned to keep walking. While she was walking away I squinted to get a feel for her aura. Everything about it radiated untapped power. Eyes widening, something in my gut told me I was looking at the guy's lost friend. Scrambling to pick up my walkie, I ran in the direction she walked.

"Hey, wait, El!" I yelled, making it to the front of the school and bursting through the front doors into the fall air. She was gone, nowhere in sight. Breathing heavily from my sudden run, I ran a hand through my hair, "Shit. Fuck!"

 _"Guys... I found him."_ Will's voice came through the walkie, but it was distant as I was lost in my thoughts. So El was alive. At least, I thought she was. I had never met her before, or even seen a picture so I couldn't be entirely sure. But everything about her screamed outsider, different, powerful. No normal girl would be like that.

_"Where?"_

_"In the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's."_

_"Copy that."_

I should have gone back into the building. Should have caught the little creature with the others and cast a plethora of spells on it to keep it quiet, placated, and the opposite of dangerous. But my feet were glued to the cement at the entrance of the school. I didn't understand why until I heard the screaming.

"Go away!" It was Will, by the side entrance. I could move, and I was walking, running, sprinting towards the field he was frozen in, "Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away!"

"Will!" I screeched, close but not close enough. He didn't notice me. He wasn't in Hawkins anymore. He was in the Upside Down, stupidly facing his demons alone. I commended his bravery, but he was facing something beyond his abilities to control, "Will!"

"Go away!"

"Inside his mind!" I yelled from a distance, reaching out for him, desperate to reach him and help, "Inside his mind!"

Nothing was happening. I was too far, too desperate to think clearly. But goddamnit, I was a motherfucking Talbot and I was going to save my friend if it was the last thing I did. Closing my eyes, I felt something blooming inside. Similar to what transpired when I brought Georgie back to life, but different- less powerful and just as dark. Something in the back of my mind whispered to me that maybe there was more to my gift than just bringing back the dead. I ignored it, and instead reached out for the new feeling, grabbing hold and refusing to let go.

"I summon the all seeing eye to tear a hole in the sky. Reveal to me that which is hidden. Unveil to me what is forbidden!"

Most spells didn't require words unless they were an alteration or part of a ritual, so when the words came tumbling out of my mouth, I was shocked. The light I was holding onto turned dark, and I realized that I was likely using a spell derived from dark magic. My fingernails turned black, the darkness flooding my veins. It made me feel invincible and terrified.

My entire body jerked, and I was forced to stop running because of it. Falling to my knees, I blinked once, twice, and everything changed. I was in the Upside Down. A giant, terrifying creature was above us, around us, and forcing itself into Will's body.

"Hey! Leave him the fuck alone!" I stumbled to my feet and ran over, casting a spell towards the smoke. Something screeched, the sound coming from all around me. Grabbing Will's shoulder, I cast a spell of protection around us. He was still comatose, eyes wide and towards the sky. I hadn't been fast enough. A little piece of that monster got inside and was going to stay, "Will, come on!"

I felt a tug on my arm. Someone was touching me back in normal Hawkins. Probably the Party. If they went to the bathroom and didn't find Will, they would have gone looking for him. What a sight I must have been, though. Stuck in the same state as Will for a different reason.

"Let's go home, Will," rearing back, I slapped Will as hard as I could. His eyes flashed with recognition before he fell to the ground and was gone. A deafening screech sounded from around me, and I screamed along with it, "Back home!"

With a gasp I emerged back in the normal world. Lucas had my arm and was shaking me frantically. When he saw that I was responding to stimulus, he breathed a sigh of relief and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Will? Is Will okay?"

Joyce Byers was off to the side with her son, crying into his hair as he came out of his own state of comatose. Pulling away from Lucas, I stumbled over to him and Joyce. She looked at me with concern.

"The thing, how long was it-" I didn't know how to describe what it was doing to him, "Was it successful?"

Will shook his head, "You stopped it. Thanks."

"What's going on?" Joyce questioned, reaching out for my shoulder, "Did you pull him out of it?"

"Mrs. Byers, there's a lot of things I need to explain to you. Where are you taking Will?"

"Home."

"I'll come with you. There's more to what's happening to him, to Hawkins."

Joyce looked like she wanted to ask more, but she didn't. Turning back to the others, I asked, "Can you take my bike back home for me?"

They nodded mutely, likely still in shock. With that, I walked alongside Will and Joyce to her car, getting in the back and pushing down my anxiety as we pulled out of the school. Joyce would be the first adult I'd tell about being a witch. Her reaction would be important.

On the way to the Byers' house, I explained everything that was most important to Joyce. I left almost everything that happened with Pennywise out, just telling her that my friends in Derry knew because of a dangerous situation. She didn't need to know the details of Pennywise unless she asked. I'd spare her and myself and that horror.

Will was silent in the front seat, listening to a story he already knew. Joyce was constantly looking at me through the rearview mirror. I knew she was having a hard time believing me, but I also knew that she was extremely involved in what happened with Will and was the best out of the Party's parents in terms of concern and understanding.

When we pulled up to the house, I stepped out of the car and waited until Joyce was out as well. Pointing a finger towards the car, I started it again without a second glance, solidifying her belief.

"I always knew there was something special about you," Joyce muttered as she led us into the house, "As the only girl in a group of boys, you were always a little different. But a witch. Something from a fairytale?"

"Not a fairytale. Just a... universal fluke that created a bridge between humans and other creatures," I explained it as simply as possible, "Thank you for believing me Mrs. Byers. It would have been a pain if you tried to call the cops on me or something."

"Hopper will have a harder time believing you," Joyce mumbled, almost as a second thought, "But he should know."

"I know," Will and I sat down at the kitchen table next to us, while Joyce pulled out a chair so she could face us.

"What happened?" She finally asked.

"I can't remember," Will claimed quietly.

"I need you to try."

"He was in the field," I offered, kickstarting the conversation, "I heard him screaming so I ran to help. There are spells that allow you to see through a person's eyes. But Will is a bit different. When I looked through his eyes, I go into the Upside Down just like he does. What was that thing, Will?"

"I- I don't know. I went into the field, and then nothing. I remember Mom waking me up."

"Something was attacking you. It- it felt like it was the Upside Down itself was trying..." I didn't have the words to describe it, "It wasn't good, Mrs. Byers. It was really evil. I cast a spell to scare it away from Will and put a border around us so it couldn't touch us, but my magic was weak there. If we were stuck there any longer it could have broken through."

Reaching out, Joyce grabbed a drawing from the table and held it up to Will. From the way his eyes widened in fear, I knew I was looking at our evil culprit. It didn't strike the same fear into me as Pennywise, but it still sent a chill down my spine.

"This shape, I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night. It's the same shape as... as your drawing." Joyce sighed when Will remained silent, "These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong. I think they're real. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So, you have to talk to me. Please. No more secrets, okay?"

"Okay."

"Did... did you see this thing again on the field?"

"Yes." Will whispered. He must have seen it before the smoke surrounded us, blocking our vision.

"What... what is it?"

"I don't know."

"An Eldritch," Will and I answered at the same time. I took the drawing from Joyce and stared it down for a few seconds. My heart was steadily dropping into my stomach. I hadn't been thinking of the _what_ before, just the _how_ and _why_. But an Eldritch would make sense. It had its own plane and was creating smaller copies of itself to control. It was... it was going after people, "They're- they're basically legendary creatures, not gods exactly but just as- just as powerful. I faced one before with... back in Derry there was... shit. I can't do this."

Feeling like I was going to vomit, I stumbled to my feet and ran out of the house. Leaning against the nearest tree, I struggled to catch my breath. I had been fine, I was getting better. But an _Eldritch_ of all things. The Party had no idea what they were facing, and Hawkins lab had no idea what they had opened up. No one did. No one but me and the Losers Club. Because we faced one, almost died at the hands of one.

My mind went back to the sewers. Those fucking disgusting sewers. I thought of Bev, stuck in the deadlights, and of the children who were eternally doomed to float. I thought of Pennywise, immediately knowing what we feared most. Of Georgie, and the life I had been able to give back to him.

My hands went to my knees as I gagged. I was working myself up without meaning to. I needed therapy. Well, I couldn't exactly do that. Maybe some spells could help. Or books. Something on PTSD and how to move past it. I couldn't help the Party if I was constantly stuck in the past.

A hand touched my shoulder. My entire body tense and I jerked up. Claws, claws digging in and forcing me to tear myself off to save my own life. Blood, and immense pain as I cast spells on it to stop the bleeding so I could run back into battle-

"(Y/n)," Joyce's soft voice took me out of my thoughts, "Honey, it's okay."

Biting back my tears, I closed my eyes to calm myself down and turned to face her. Will was hesitating behind her, but when we made eye contact he came forward and gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry," I said into his shoulder, looking up to explain my reaction to Joyce, "Back in Derry there was an Eldritch. It was nothing like the Upside Down, but it went after kids and... it's dead. It's dead. I thought all of it was over, but now there's one over Hawkins and it's going after Will..."

"An Eldritch," Will whispered, eyes growing hazy, "That's... it's called an Eldritch?"

"Sometimes they call themselves names," wrapping my arms around myself, I led the way back into the house, "Well, the only one I've encountered called himself something. But Will, you've been communicating with it right?"

Will froze up under the pressure, and I had to give him a nudge to get him to sit again, "I-I don't know. I guess."

"What did it want?" Joyce questioned.

"I don't know. I tried to make it go away and..." Will teared up, "It got me."

Brows furrowing in concert, Joyce asked, "Well, what does that mean?"

"I felt it everywhere. Everywhere. I still feel it. I just want this to be over," Will sobbed. Joyce was quick to pull him close.

"It's okay. It's okay. Hey. Listen. Look, look at me. I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you ever again. Whatever's going on in you, we're gonna fix it. I will fix it. I promise. I'm here."

Picking at my nails, I tried to think of a spell that could help. It seemed that Joyce was thinking the same thing because she looked over Will's shoulder to me.

"Will, do you want to get your drawing stuff? Maybe we can watch a movie and take our minds off of what happened," I suggested, sighing in relief when he nodded and stood to go to his room, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You said you knew what it was." Joyce kept her voice low, and I did the same to keep Will out of the conversation.

"The Eldritch we faced in Derry looked like a clown and ate kids, Mrs. Byers. This is different."

"More powerful?"

"No. Yes. Maybe? I don't know. I've only gotten little glimpses of it and even then it was hard to figure it out."

"Well what about Will, can you find some spell or a potion or-"

"This isn't like an exorcism. When I pulled him out, that thing was already inside of him, Joyce. It probably still is. It'd take time to find something I _might_ be able to use, and even then I'd need to figure out what adjustments to make and-"

I swiftly cut myself off when Will returned with his arms full of paper and drawing utensils. Taking some away from him to help with the load, I shot Joyce one last look of concern.

"What movie do you want to watch?"

"How about Ghostbusters?"

For a little bit, I'd pretend things were okay.


	15. Demons

"One may be tolerant of a world of demons for the sake of an angel" (Reinette Poisson)

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**Chapter Fourteen - Demons**

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A demon is a supernatural being prevalent historically in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies and television series.

The original Greek word daimon does not carry negative connotations. The Ancient Greek word δαίμων daimōn denotes a spirit or divine power, much like the Latin genius or numen.[ The Greek conception of a daimōn notably appears in the works of Plato, where it describes the divine inspiration of Socrates.

In Ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. In Western occultism and Renaissance magic, which grew out of an amalgamation of Greco-Roman magic, Jewish Aggadah and Christian demonology, a demon is believed to be a spiritual entity that may be conjured and controlled.

For the first and only time in my life, I wished one of my best friends was possessed by a demon. If all Will was dealing with was demonic possession, I'd be able to handle it quickly and proficiently, with no long lasting side effects. We'd get our friend back, and everyone would be able to stop worrying.

But life wasn't that easy.

Instead, I stayed up until five in the morning reading through every book in my grandma's house related to spell casting, rituals, and potions. While I felt like I learned every spell possible, none of them would help Will out without dire consequences that either affected his health and tore a hole in our reality. Why was magic so fickle when I didn't need it to be?

At nine the next morning, the house got a call from Joyce Byers. I was fitfully sleeping upstairs when my mom shook me awake. She smiled apologetically, eyes lingering on my dark circles before she told me that Joyce Byers was on the phone for me.

Grumbling under my breath, I stumbled to my feet and made my way to the kitchen where my dad was waiting with the phone. He held it out for me, a look coming with it that said I had some explaining to do.

"Hello?"

_"(Y/n), this is Joyce. Will is home from school today and he still seems off. I've been calling Hopper but he hasn't answered. Did you find anything?"_

"No. I have a few more books I can go through, but it's..." I was acutely aware of my parents in the kitchen, horribly indiscreet. They were trying to play it off like they were making breakfast, but they weren't good at hiding things. Not like me, "I just need some more time to find it or make something up on my own. Then we can help Will out with his project."

 _"Project?"_ Joyce seemed confused for a few seconds, then asked, _"Are your parents listening?"_

"Yeah."

_"And they don't know what's going on?"_

"Right."

_"Are you ever going to tell them?"_

"Maybe. Those supplies won't work for it, they aren't made for that type of crafting, so we don't need them right now. Just give me some time and I should have something, okay?"

_"Right, okay. I'll call you if things get worse."_

"Thanks, see you later Mrs. Byers."

"Helping Will with a school project?" Mom asked, setting a kettle on the stove.

"Yeah, since we used to draw together he thought it'd be cool if I helped out. He's sick right now, so that's why Mrs. Byers called instead of him," it was concerning how easily the lies slipped from my mouth, smooth as butter.

 _Grandma's things. Derry. Stan. The Loser's Club. One more hangout with the Party. Going back home._ I flooded my thoughts with mundane things and forced myself to stay calm. Neither of my parents questioned me further, simply stating that breakfast would be ready in a few minutes. It was getting easier and easier to evade their gifts- things I used to find impossible to avoid.

Rushing back upstairs, I went through my routine like a zombie. I'd eat breakfast, chug some tea and coffee with too much sugar in it to be healthy and try to get through the day like a functioning human.

For the most part, my plan worked out well. After breakfast I retreated to my room to scan through the final two novels Grandma had on Demonology and advanced potion brewing. Neither book held anything I could use.

"So my own spell then," I sighed, pulling out my own grimoire and the much darker one I found in the basement. The spells inside were extraordinary, and after cleanly cutting a tree in half while trying one out, I knew they were quite powerful as well.

"An exorcism spell with a... maybe a cleansing spell? Purification? Another modified protection spell that would push everything out?"

Despite all of my ideas, nothing seemed entirely plausible. Either the combination or the basis of the spell didn't work. If it were a less high-stakes situation, then I would go with my gut and try something on the spot, but we were talking about separating Will from an Eldritch. There could be no room for error.

After lunch Mike's voice rang over the walkie talkie.

_"(Y/n)? I'm at Will's right now and there's a bit of a situation with Will and Hopper. Can you come over?"_

Mike was on a different frequency than what the Party normally used, so it was easy to assume I'd be the only one in on whatever was happening. But Mike was constantly frustrated with Dustin and Lucas- especially now that they were getting close with Max - so it made sense.

"I'll be over in a few minutes. Safe to talk about what's happening over the air?" I shoved the paper I had been writing spells on into my backpack, thinking of anything else I might need.

_"Hopper's in trouble. Will saw him in the tunnels-"_

"Wait, Will _saw_ him?"

_"Yeah."_

"Oh shit, oh fuck," as a last minute decision I grabbed the Painted Bunting figure I shared with Stan, shoving it into my pocket. Immediately I felt better. I wish I stole Bill's flannel from Richie, or Ben's coin from Mike before I left, "That isn't good Mike."

My parents were in the living room playing with Percy. He could stand up on his own, and all of us were trying to get him to take his first steps now.

"I'm going to Will's, I might sleep over but I'm not sure yet," I wouldn't count my blessing that this would be a quick trip.

"Alright, love you. And remember, we're leaving tomorrow so don't stay up too late!"

Closing the front door behind me, I then realized that Mike was trying to gain my attention from the walkie.

_"What's wrong (Y/n)? Why is that so bad?"_

"It's _communicating_ , Wheeler. Why do you think that's bad? It's gaining more control over him, and I don't have anything that can help yet."

Swinging my leg over my bike, Mike's next words raised my annoyance level, _"But Mrs. Byers said you were working on-"_

"Yeah well I still don't have anything!" I snapped, sighing, "I'll be over there soon, hang tight."

With each pedal closer to the Byers household I grew more and more anxious. What was going on with Hopper? The guys told me he knew everything that happened and was even an integral part of getting Will back, but how involved was he this time around? Was he already dead? And what about Will? The Eldritch was communicating with him, taunting him and taunting us by letting us know it. I shivered, thinking of how Pennywise always seemed to have eyes on our lives and knew exactly how to get at us.

Skidding to a stop on the gravel driveway of the Byers home, I panted and wiped a bead of sweat from my brow. I couldn't remember the last time I rode that fast. Even going to rescue Bev, we were slower than we should have been - overcome by fear.

Storming into the house, I found Mike and Joyce crowded around a section of the kitchen. But that wasn't the weirdest part. The weirdest part was the papers around the room. There were hundreds of them, of different lines in dark hues forming what looked like roads.

"Woah," I marvelled, "What the hell happened while I was gone?"

Both Mike and Joyce struggled to explain it. A strange urge came over Will and he just started pumping the drawings out the night before after I left. Hopper was there, and he understood what they meant better than anyone else and just left without another word.

"And I thought you could do your witch- magic- spell thing to find him. He's here," Joyce pointed at an intersection of the lines.

"You mean like a location spell?"

"Yes!"

"No, I can't do that," I knelt down to get a better look at the paper.

"Why not?" Mike questioned.

"Magic can be... tricky. It's weird and complicated and I don't think you'd understand, but I can't locate Hopper at the drop of a hat. If I had something of his like a piece of clothing or something personal then maybe, but not like this. There's nothing tethering Hopper to where we are now."

"Besides me," Will said from the doorway.

"Right, besides you," I sighed, standing up, "I'll gladly help you guys try to figure this out. Will, I could try to go into your head again. Maybe it'll be more clear if-"

"No!" Will yelled, shocking all of us. He realized it quickly and calmed down, "No. I don't want you dealing with the shadow monster too."

Something in my gut twisted, and I felt like there was more to that. But there wasn't time to question it because we all heard a car pull up. Joyce went to the window and quickly shot out the front door.

"Who is that?" I asked, looking at the happy man who stepped out of the car.

"Bob."

"The boyfriend?" The boys nodded along to my statement, "Oh god. Great, another person getting dragged into this. Just what we need."

Mike turned to me and asked, "So what _can_ you do with your magic?"

I tried not to take offence to it. I knew he was curious, and slightly annoyed that I couldn't solve their problems as easily as they could have hoped. I felt the same way. I wanted to come in, fix Will, and find Hopper, but it wasn't going to work like that.

"Shove your foot up your ass," I frowned, reaching into my bag, "I have some spell ideas though."

"Call it a game, the main rule is that you can't ask _any_ questions, okay?" Joyce led her boyfriend into the house, and I realized with a start that he was probably our best hope if Joyce trusted him with such a daunting task.

Taking a look around, Bob had the same face I did when I first entered, "Huh. And you drew all these yourself?" Will nodded mutely, "Why, exactly?"

"Remember the rules."

"Right, no questions."

"We just need you to help us figure out where this is," Joyce marked Hopper's spot with a large, red X, "That's the objective. Find the X."

Looking around again, Bob clicked his tongue and gently took Joyce's arm, "Let me talk to you for a second. Hang on, guys."

All of us knew he was telling Joyce his concerns. We all probably looked crazy. Will still seemed super sick, and Joyce looked like she got as much sleep as I did. Mike and I were there as spectators, nervous and tense.

"Okay, so the lines aren't roads," Bob rushed back into the room a few minutes later, entranced by the game - his former worries forgotten, which we were all thankful for, "But they act like roads. And they act like roads 'cause when you follow 'em, you'll see they don't go over water. And that's the giveaway. That's the giveaway. Ha! Don't you get it? It's not a puzzle, it's a map. It's a map of Hawkins."

It made a lot of sense, and all of us kicked ourselves for not thinking of it earlier. A map of Hawkins, of course! Hopper was still in Hawkins, or maybe he was in the Upside Down Hawkins, but it would be much easier to locate him now that we had a general idea of what was going on and where we needed to go.

Joyce's boyfriend was pretty smart, and kind too. I could tell by his aura he really cared about her and Will. A pure person drawn into a bad situation. I'd seen that story a million times before.

Pulling the crumpled page of spells from my bag, I held it up for Will and Mike, speaking quietly, "I'm not one hundred percent sure about any of these spells, but it wouldn't hurt to try some of them. Mike, do you want to help Mrs. Byers and Bob while I work with Will?"

Not too keen on helping Will, it took a dangerous look on my part for Mike to agree to staying with the two adults while Will and I went into his room for some privacy. They would figure out the Hopper situation soon enough, but until then I had to worry about my friend.

"Get comfortable, some of these spells might feel weird depending on how well they work."

"Are you gonna cast them all on me?" Will asked nervously, twiddling his thumbs.

Chuckling, I looked over the list I had. There were enough there to have a selection, but even the night before I wasn't confident about any of them. They didn't feel right, not for an Eldritch. I would have to create my own magic, and I felt too stressed and unsure to be able to do it confidently. Creating spells took confidence, a faith in your bloodline and in your own abilities as a magic user, and on top of that you had to be powerful and smart enough to create something completely new. That's why new spells were so far and between in modern times, people were seldom able to do it. So yeah, combining a few pre-existing spells seemed like the best bet.

"I'm gonna ask you some questions before I cast anything, just so I don't mess up and accidentally hurt you. Has this thing taken over your body at any point? Made you do things you wouldn't normally do?"

"No."

I crossed off five of the spells. It was going to be a long afternoon.

I continued to ask questions until I was left with one spell. Looking it over, I thought about what it would do. Force the Eldritch out with an inverted barrier spell.

"I have one, I think. It'll probably get a bit uncomfortable and hot so just bear with me. The sooner I do this the sooner it will be over. If anything feels really wrong let me know and I'll stop."

Taking one of Will's hands, I traced light figure eights over it. After five, I switched to simple circles. My hands warmed, as did Will's as I kept in contact with him. Then a buzzing trailed from my heart down my arm to my fingertips.

"Ow," Will whispered. My focus never wavered. I expected some discomfort from him, "Ow, ow. (Y/n)!"

My eyebrows furrowed, but I didn't look up. The pain meant something was happening, and he hadn't outright told me to stop.

"It hurts, (Y/n). It- he knows what you're trying to do. It won't wor- stop!" Will's voice suddenly became cold, unattached. And that gave me pause. My grip on his wrist remained tight, and my fingers were still in his palm, but I paused, "It's weak magic. Not enough. _You_ aren't enough."

"That isn't you," the Eldritch was poisoning his mind.

My face was suddenly in his hand. I tried to jerk away but his grip was too strong. His eyes were dark, a ring of red outlining the normal brown. Will was gentle, he'd never yell at us, much less hurt us. No, this was the work of the Shadow Monster.

"Not. Enough. Without your little circle you would have died against the other."

Will, the Shadow Monster, was talking about It. Tears welled in my eyes, terror striking me dumb. The Shadow Monster and It were drastically different, but the fear I felt was the same. Will was right. There was no Bill to lead, Eddie to heal, Richie to make us laugh, Bev to rile us up, Ben to teach us, or Mike to make us feel understood. There was no Stan. I was alone, drowning in my fear.

"Burn, (Y/n)," Will got a little closer, "They should have killed you all when they had the chance."

Crying out, I broke free, falling to the floor. I dug into my pocket and clutched the Painted Bunting like a lifeline. It was the only thing keeping me from crying.

"Get out."

"Will-"

"Get out of my house!"

I stumbled to my feet and slung my bag over my shoulder. Mike was outside the door, but I didn't care. I didn't stop for him or Joyce. I simply got onto my bike and peddled away.

Leaving was the cowards way out, but I didn't care. I needed a break, a reprieve from the darkness that was seeping out of Will and into everything around him. His words got to me, and all I could think of was gasoline dripping down my skin and the Losers chanting that I would burn. Will knew some of my deepest secrets, and he was quick to use them against me.

Later, I vowed. I'd return after a short bike ride to clear my head and steel my nerves. The Losers would be at school. Maybe I could call Mike, just to get some support and hear his voice.

"Hey, (Y/n)!" Dustin pulled up next to me in-

"Is that Steve Harrington?"

"Yeah. Where the hell have you been, huh?"

"I was at Will's-"

"Yeah, yeah. Get in, I need your help too."

Rolling my eyes, I tapped my hands against my bike handles and led it off the road. No one would notice it once I left, at least for the next twelve hours. Hurrying back, I got into Steve's backseat - immediately noticing the tense atmosphere.

"What's going on?"

"What's going on? _What's going on_?" Dustin turned around to yell at me, "I've been calling a code red for two. Hours! And no one has answered!"

"Sorry," I shrugged, "I turned my walkie off when I got to Will's."

"Well, Dart grew again and things went to shit. He ate my cat, looks like a demogorgon, and now I'm with Steve Harrington because no one else was answering!"

That was a lot to handle. No wonder Dustin was so mad, all of us basically abandoned him. I gave myself a few seconds to process. Dustin found and kept Dart, who was growing into a monster and ate Mews. In his search for the others he ran into Steve Harrington who was a small part of what happened the previous year and was apparently trustworthy enough to be in on this adventure.

"Okay..." I answered slowly, "And where is Dart now?"

The cellar. Out of all the possible places, Dustin bunted the little monster into his cellar. It was so ridiculous and reminded me so much of something Richie would do that I had to laugh when we stepped out of the car and approached the double doors.

"This is ridiculous," I ran a hand through my hair. A short bike ride, that's all I wanted. No, scratch that! All I wanted was a nice trip to Hawkins where I could both mourn my grandma and see my old friends again, "A bunch of kids fighting interdimensional monsters. Why me? I'm always pulled into this shit."

"Bad choice of friends," Steve offered distractedly. That was the first thing he'd ever said to me, and I wanted to punch him in the balls for it, "You sure it's not a lizard?"

"It's not a lizard."

"How do you know?"

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat! Have you not been listening?"

Lips pursing, Steve looked to the cellar doors, allowing silence to fall between the three of us.

"I don't hear shit," he finally claimed.

"You got the key?" I asked, eager to face one of the monsters the Party had been cowering over.

Nodding, Dustin plucked the key from his pocket. I snatched it from his hand and stepped toward the door, quickly taking off the lock. Glancing back to the two boys, I made sure they were ready for whatever potential danger we were going to face. Then I swung the door open, jumping back as I did so.

"He must be further down there," Dustin offered when nothing happened, "I'll stay up here in case he tries to escape."

"Coward," I rolled my eyes, waiting for Steve to step down the stairs first before I followed. Safety wise, I should have gone first - armed with magic instead of a nail ridden bat - but Steve didn't know what I could do and likely still held a sense of responsibility over me and Dustin.

"There's nothing down here," I mumbled when we reached the last time, cautiously glancing around. Bill had a basement similar to this. It was where Georgie went for turtle wax the day he died the first time, where Bill usually saw visions of his brother, "Aside from a creepy atmosphere.

"Steve? (Y/n)?" Dustin called from outside, "What's going on down there?"

"There's this too," Steve pointed out the most obvious damage that I had missed while thinking about Georgie.

"Oh, shit," it was a giant hole ripped in the foundation of the cellar. Dart dug his way out of there.

"Get down here."

Pounding down the steps, Dustin paused on the last one when he saw the hole, "Shit. Shit! No way."

It was a tunnel, and as I stepped closer the same stench of death and darkness slapped me in the face as Derry's sewers did. I hastily backed up, covering my nose and mouth with my hand. The other boys looked at me like I was crazy, but they had never stared death in the eyes, wiped its drool off their faces before.

"We need to catch the little bastard. Dustin, I'll fix this later," I pointed to the hole, turning to rush out of the basement.

"What's wrong with your friend?" Steve asked Dustin, not quiet enough that I couldn't hear it.

"Puberty?" Dustin offered.

"Dustin," I turned around, glaring, "Just... don't."


	16. Satori

_"They say we're too young to love, but maybe they're just too old to remember"_

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**Chapter Sixteen - Satori**

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Satori in Japanese folklore are mind-reading supernatural monsters said to live within the mountains of Hida and Mino (presently Gifu Prefecture).

People are said to meet them while walking along mountain paths or resting in the mountains. Upon reading a person's mind, the satori would say the person's thoughts aloud faster than a human could. There is also a theory that they are the child incarnations of mountain gods who have come to ruin and turned into a yōkai form.

Despite not being real, I wished I was a Satori. If there was ever a time to read minds, it would be when we were walking towards Hawkins Lab. The tension was thick between every member of our group, and I wanted to know why. Some were easy to figure out. Steve was stressed because not only was he pulled into more weird shit, but he'd become a glorified babysitter. Dustin felt bad because if anything happened with Dart he would blame himself. Lucas and Max were a bit harder to figure out. Max was processing everything, but there was a deeper conflict beneath that. The same was happening with Lucas, but there was more anger there.

With everything that was happening, I completely forgot that my parents and I were supposed to be leaving the next day. My Hawkins visit was supposed to be full of distracting myself from my grief, visiting my friends, and worrying about nothing more than what I'd missed at school that week. Instead, I'd been pulled into a sci-fi novel, and probably sent my parents down another rabbithole of worry after not returning earlier that day- just like what happened with It when the Losers got stuck in the sewers whilst fighting for their lives.

"I hate my life," I whispered, unsure if I meant it or not.

"You're positive that was Dart?" Lucas asked.

"Yes. He had the same exact yellow pattern on his butt."

"He was tiny when you found him."

"Well, he's molted three times already."

"When's he gonna molt again?" I yawned, casting another short term energy spell on myself. We'd been walking for at least an hour and still hadn't made it to the lab.

"It's gotta be soon. When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it. And so will his friends."

"Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats."

That sentence sent a shudder down my spine. Children. Hundred, thousands. Every 27 years he would come-

"Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?"

Georgie shouldn't have been there. He was too young and too innocent to be faced with such evil. But the neighbor reported blood in the street. The Losers lost hope before Bill. But then came Pennywise, and he tried to go after the wrong kids.

"No."

"Yeah. He ate Mews."

"He _ate_ Mews?"

Neibolt. The sewers. Ben's stomach. Eddie's arm. Stan's face. Deadlights. Deadlights. Georgie was d̶e̶a̶d̶ down there. Why was he down there? There was b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶ no one in the street. I b̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶m̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ found him.

"(Y/n)? Guys, stop arguing. You're freaking her out!"

**For their memories, the price was one of yours.**

Bev was going to forget. She was forgetting. Derry was different. She didn't remember the- Floating children. A mountain of toys. You'll float too. You'll float too. You'll float too.

"(Y/n)? Hey, you're wigging out. (Y/n), come on!"

He wanted me to burn. Burn the witch. Burn the witch. Burn the witch.

**The balance must be kept.**

"Woah, woah! She was holding a little bird earlier, look in her pockets."

"Why is that you're being helpful now, Steve?"

An object was pressed into my hand, and after squeezing it to the point of pain, my senses came back thanks to the stimulation. Bring the item close to my chest, someone was in front of me breathing slowly. Watching their chest rise and fall, I was quick to pick up on the pattern and copy it.

"Good job, Witchcraft," Max smiled in relief, "You gonna tell us why you had a panic attack?"

"There are worse things than cats that a monster can eat," I looked at the group, then at the Painted Bunting in my palm, "In Derry... we need to stop it before it gets to that point. Let's keep going."

One tense energy was exchanged for another. It was less angry and more concerned, nervous. But you preferred the silence over Dustin and Lucas trying to bite each other's heads off.

Taking a shortcut down a steep hill, and then walking another ten minutes until the lab's road was in sight, the group slowed down at the sound of voices. But we were all so desperate to see what was going on that we kept going no matter what.

"Hello? Who's there?" A familiar voice called, calming everyone down, "Who's there?"

"Steve?" Nancy and Jonathan asked in unison.

"Nancy?"

"Jonathan?"

"What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"We're looking for Mike and Will."

"Oh gods, it's Bev all over again," I ran a hand through my hair, already sensing where the situation was going.

"They're not in there, are they?"

"We're not sure. Why?"

In a bout of perfect timing, a screech sounded from the lab. The group collectively panicked and put two-and-two together. I took off for the gate first, stepping into the security box and pressing the Open button several times.

"Shit!" It was _really_ feeling like a sewers/Neibolt situation, and I struggled to not fall into a state of panic again. Everyone survived Pennywise b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶G̶e̶o̶r̶g̶i̶e̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶. Not without scars - physical and mental - but they survived.

"The powers back on," Nancy announced.

Pushing me aside, Dustin said, "Let me try." And started pushing the button. But still the gate didn't open."Son of a bitch! You know what..."

"You got any spells?" Steve asked, completely serious which was - for some reason - a bit comical to me. Not only had I been breaking one of the 3 rules consistently for the past year, but no one had gone to the press or freaked out royally over it. In a way I didn't want to admit, it was thanks to the Eldritches who made magic just a drop in the bucket.

"Nothing that would just open the gate. I'm good at all types of magic but we're talking about some kind of large scale metal manipulation or telekinesis," I shook my head, racking my brain for something that could help. Nothing.

"Wait, magic?" Nancy's eyes widened, "You aren't serious, right?"

"Completely. I know it sounds crazy, but so does everything happening here," I motioned to the lab, "Long story short, witches are real and so is magic. It's different from what the movies and books tell you, and I'm from a powerful line. Good? Great."

_BUZZZZZZ_

The gate slowly opened, Dustin grinning in victory from the security booth. The group took a few steps closer to the lab. My instincts screamed at me to back away. It held a dominion of death and the servants that sought it out.

"Nancy and I will drive up there," Jonathan announced, driving to his car and quickly driving to the front door.

The sinking feeling in my gut got worse, almost painful. Someone died. I knew it and struggled to keep quiet about it. The group would know who the victim was soon enough, I just had to pray to whoever was listening that it wasn't someone close to me.

It was at most five minutes later when Jonathan's car came screeching down the road with Chief Hopper's truck just behind it. Jonathan drove straight past you and Hopper screeched to a halt.

"Let's go."

All of you scrambled to get inside the truck. It was a tight fit, but that wasn't what was important. Everyone was yelling and practically crawling over each other to get inside. When the passenger side door closed, Hopper took off again.

~*~

"Mrs. Byers?" Joyce was huddled on her bed, blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was staring into space, and acknowledged my presence with a simple glance. "I'm sorry," I murmured, glancing around the room and locating a scented candle on the dresser. Grabbing it, I set it on the ground and sat in front of it. "Will you sit? Please?"

Slowly, Joyce moved from the bed to the carpeted floor. She looked awful, but I couldn't blame her. It was Bob that died, and I felt guilty not only for being relieved that it wasn't one of the others but because I felt like I could have done something more to help.

"We don't have a lot of spells that have words in them," I explained idly, not expecting a response, "But the dead deserve more respect than silence and hand motions."

The scented candle turned black with a wave of my hand. With a snap it was lit. Taking Joyce's hands in mine, I tried to give her a reassuring smile. The candle's flame flickered wildly, before settling at a high height. That was the cue to begin.

"Universe above us, around us. Energies of ages past and futures far ahead. May his soul join all others around us and within us. Grief shall flow with time, not remain stagnant and rot. Guide him on his path ahead. Guide him on his path ahead. Guide him on his path ahead."

Leaning down I blew the candle out. The smoke curled unnaturally toward Joyce before disappearing completely. She sighed and managed a smile.

"Thank you, (Y/n)."

"He didn't deserve that. Eldritches enter worlds under the idea of being unmatched. But they _can_ be beaten. So let's kill this son of a bitch."

I left the room before Joyce, giving her some more time. But there was a new determination shining through her grief, and it would be crucial in defeating the Shadow Monster.

"(Y/n)!" Mike called me over to their pow-wow with Hopper, "(Y/n) can defeat the Shadow Monster."

"She can- you can defeat this thing?" Hopper held up the picture Will drew of the Eldritch, "Why is that?"

"She's a witch," Dustin stated confidently.

"Oh god," Hopper pinched the bridge of his nose, "Kids, I know it might seem cool, but we don't need black nail polish and- hey!"

While Hopper was talking, I snatched the paper from his hands and ripped it in half. Running my ring finger over the tear, it bonded together once again. Wide-eyed, Hopper nodded once, twice, before he spoke again.

"So is this a new development or..."

"Witches have always existed. They have the ability to harness universal energy. We're more powerful than you could imagine, and not all of us like black nail polish."

"Right. So do you have a spell for this thing?"

"She was getting it out of Will," Mike offered, "But then he freaked out cause it was working."

"A spell to remove a piece of an Eldritch isn't the same as killing the entire thing. Because it has a physical form it has a weakness," you thought back to Pennywise and the power of belief, "But even then..."

"Let's ask Will. If he has a part of it in him, then he'll know it's weakness."

"But isn't he a spy for the Mindflayer now?"

"It won't work," Hopper dismissed, turning back to me, "Come on kid. You've got to have a spell or charm or something."

Shaking your head, you lamented, "If I had more time I could come up with something, a combination maybe, but I don't know enough about this thing to be sure about the source. It was different than this."

"Use Will," Joyce appeared in the hallway, "They're right. We have to kill it. I want to kill it."

"I got it!" Lucas snapped his fingers, "Will can't spy if he doesn't know where he is."

A mutual understanding spread around the table, and everyone got to work. While the others were gathering supplies, I took the chance and called my grandma's house.

 _"Hello?"_ My dad answered.

"It's me."

_"(Y/n)! Do you know how worried we've been? Where have you been? We were supposed to-"_

"There's another one."

_"Another what?"_

Stomach dropping, I realized that I cast my memory spell on the Losers only. I wasn't sure how much my parents would remember of the past summer. But I was betting on the fact that they wouldn't have forgotten too much because we hadn't been away from Derry for super long.

"Last summer, kids were going missing. Do you remember what me and my friends had to do?"

_"There was something... not right. And you had to- oh. (Y/n) please just come home. We can leave for Derry right now and forget about this."_

"You know I can't. It's going to kill everyone if we don't stop it."

_"We?"_

"I'll be home by tomorrow night, okay? Just trust me, please."

Hanging up before he could argue further, you let out a breath and got back to work.

~*~

Within an hour, the shed behind the Byers' house was unrecognizable. Will was tied to a chair, tightly. Mike was the only one from the Party that would be there to actually talk and try to get information from Will. They were always a bit closer.

Biting your nails and pacing in the kitchen, I finally went and picked up the phone. But instead of calling my parents again, I put in the Uris' familiar phone number. Holding the receiver tightly, I waited for either his parents to answer or for it to go to voicemail. After ten solid rings, voicemail was the choice.

"Hi, Mr. or Mrs. Uris. Could you hand the phone to Stan, please? I have a question about homework. I'm trying to cram before we get home," I waited a few seconds until it seemed safe to start talking, "Stan, something is happening here. Something like... Something like It. We're going to go face it soon and I just... shit, Stan. I'm really scared. This entire time it's felt like I've been back in the sewers, but I don't have you guys with me. So, I love you. It's crazy to say, and you don't have to say it back when I get back to Derry. But I love you, and I just need you to know it. I'll be home soon. I promise."

Putting the phone back on the wall, you sighed and hit your head against the wallpaper. Steve came up beside you, arms crossed and brow raised.

"Young love?"

"Shut up, Steve."

"I barely said anything," Steve raised his hands as if to show his innocence, "It was just a question... what's his name?"

"Stan."

"And you love him?"

"A lot. We've been through a lot together. Us and my friends from Derry. I have a lot of faith in us, but the last time we went through something like this felt like we were marching to our deaths so I wanted to be safe."

Shrugging, Steve nodded, "I get it. It's cute. Keep him close and all that."

"Gee, thanks, Steve. Real good advice."

"Well, according to you I'm not great at love so I don't feel bad about that," Steve chuckled and I couldn't help but chuckle along.

Twenty minutes later, Hopper came storming back in. He grabbed an envelope from the counters and a pen, taking a seat to write out some semi-familiar symbols.

"What happened?"

"I think he's talking just not with words."

"What is that?"

"Morse code. H-E-R-E. Here. Will's still in there. He's talking to us."

Spirits raised and a new system formed as efforts doubled. Hopper would send what Will was saying through a Walkie-Talkie that the Party was waiting by to figure out what it said. With a Morse Code pamphlet next to them, they were quickly putting together sentences.

"Dash, dot, dash, dot."

"C."

"L."

"O."

"S."

"E."

"Close."

"G."

"A."

"T."

"E."

"Close gate."

Then the phone rang. Falling out of my seat, I sprinted over to it and took it off the hook and slammed it back on to shut it up. Then it rang again, and Nancy pushed me out of the way to rip the entire thing off the wall and throw it across the room.

"Think she heard that?" She asked, panting.

"I mean, it's just a phone. It could be anywhere, right?"

Screeching sounded in the distance. I pressed my hand against the ground and mumbles under my breath, drawing shapes into the hardwood.

Jonathan, Will, Joyce, and Mike came in, Hopper just behind them.

"Hey. Hey, get away from the windows!"

"Wards are up," I jumped to my feet again, "They'll be hesitant, but I don't know how well they'll work. They've never been tested against creatures like this."

Closing ranks, those with weapons stood at the front while those without them stood behind. At the front, I waved my hands to charge up a spell. But just like the wards, you were unsure how effective it would be. The more deadly, the more likely it would work.

Loud growling sounded from outside, circling the house. Everyone tensed, weapons at the ready. In the periphery of my senses came something new. Human, but riding the line between dimensions - and powerful. Could it be-

A demo-dog screeched in pain and crashed through the window. Everyone screamed in response.

"Holy shit."

"Is it dead?" Max questioned.

Instead of approaching the creature like the others, my gaze went to the front door and I unlocked it, pulling it open.

"Wait, (Y/n)-"

No demo-dogs came through. Instead, came a girl that you felt like you already knew.

"Eleven. It's nice to meet you."


	17. Cherufes

_"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it." {George A. Moore}_

🔮

**Chapter Seventeen - Cherufes**

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The Cherufe is an evil humanoid creature made of rock crystals and magma. It is said that Cherufe inhabit the magma pools found deep within Chilean volcanoes and are the source of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Cherufe are also said to be the source of "magicians' ardent stones" (meteorites and volcanic stones) that cause damage in volcanic regions.

The only way to abate the Cherufe's appetite for destruction was to satiate the beast's taste for human flesh by throwing a sacrificial victim into the bowels of its volcanic home. Much like the European dragon, the Cherufe's preferred delicacy came in the form of virginal maidens.

The mythological origins of this beast may have originated to explain anomalies of geological events such as volcanic eruptions.

Cherufes don't exist. Volcanic eruptions were some of the few natural disasters that could happen entirely without interference from supernatural creatures (although there were a few creatures that could affect eruptions).

Whether they existed or not didn't matter in my heat and exhaustion muddled mind. Will was strapped down to a bed with Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy surrounding him. I was sitting the closest, right at his side with one of his strapped hands gripped tightly in my own.

After Eleven came in, things became chaotic. Mike and Eleven both were, at first, completely distracted with each other and on the verge of tears as they hugged. It was adorable, and made me reach for the Painted Bunting in my pocket.

After it came out that Hopper was hiding Eleven and wouldn't let her speak to anyone from the year before, all hell broke loose. It made me angry too, but I didn't dare speak up or get as angry as Mike and the others were. I didn't have the same stakes in the situation, and I didn't know Eleven like they did. The most I knew about her was that every piece of her screamed "power".

When Hopper dragged Mike off to talk to him and calm him down, I was the first to step up to Eleven. I threw my hand out and drew it close to me again, summoning a box of tissues for her. She looked at me with wide eyes before taking the box.

"Sister?" She asked quietly, eyes trailing down to your wrist.

"Oh, no," I pulled up my sleeve to show my bare wrist, "I'm not an experiment. I'm a witch."

"And a badass one at that," Dustin jumped in, stepping up next to me, "She reminded us a lot of you. This is (Y/n), we talked about her, remember."

"(Y/n) was a friend. Witch?" Eleven's face showed confusion, and I didn't blame her. If she grew up away from society, and didn't have any semblance of what the media saw as magic and witchcraft, then of course she'd be confused. I just showed off a power similar to her own.

Reaching for her hand, you took it and traced a finger over her palm to activate a spell that would show her everyone's auras, "I can use magic. I harness energy from the world around us." She still seemed confused, "You eat food for energy, right?" She nodded, "I draw energy from everything. Water, the air, nature, just existing. And with that energy, I can use magic."

"Magic," she repeated, seeming to understand better, "Not an experiment, not my sister."

"No, but I'd like to be friends," I smiled, glad I wouldn't have to find another explanation.

"Friends."

At the mention of friends, Lucas and Dustin jumped at the chance to hug Eleven when I moved aside. Another adorable reunion. I hoped it would be like that when you got back to Derry. It would be another hard recovery for me, this whole situation was shit for my mental state.

"We missed you."

"I missed you, too."

"We talked about you pretty much every day."

"Teeth."

"What?"

"You have teeth."

"Oh. You like these pearls," Dustin purred and Eleven looked slightly alarmed, making you chuckle.

Max tentatively walked forward, "Eleven? Hey. Um, I'm Max. I've heard a lot about you."

Frowning, Eleven pushed past Max and moved to Joyce. Frowning as well, Max seemed hurt at the immediate dislike. Stepping up to her, I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"She probably just doesn't like new people all that much. The boys talked about me, and I have power too, so I guess I'm more familiar."

Max seemed to feel a bit better at that.

Of course, the sweet reunions couldn't last long, and everyone remembered why we were all together in the first place. We got back to business, and the groups we'd split up into were easily decided. Eleven and Hopper would go to close the gate, as she had the closest connection to the Upside Down and knew how to close it unlike me. Joyce, Nancy, Jonathan, and I would go to help Will since what I _did_ know was a spell that seemed to work. Hopper offered his cabin as heat had another big effect on the creature and we'd need an isolated spot for that.

The rest of the group and Steve would stay at the Byers household. So, after tentative goodbyes everyone went their separate ways. With Eleven back, everyone seemed to be filled with hope again. It was a good feeling.

As soon as I started the spell Will woke up. I spared him a glance, but didn't do much else. Focus was crucial, and I wouldn't be scared away by screaming again. Will's time was running out, and I was stronger than the creature that was sucking the life out of him.

"What's happening?" No one answered, "It hurts. It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! Let me go! Let me go! It hurts! It hurts! Let me go! Let me go! It hurts!"

Joyce went around and turned up the heat on all of the heaters around the room. I'd shed my sweatshirt as soon as I'd arrived, but I was quickly sweating through my undershirt as well.

"Mom."

"No!"

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!"

Smoke started slowly seeping out of Will's mouth and nose. It was working. Doubling down on the spell, I worked harder to speed up the process. When the smoke started pouring out, Will devolved into pure screams of pain. It ignited every instinct in me to help, not hurt him like I was technically doing.

"(Y/n)-"

"Shut up," you snapped before Jonathan could get another word out.

Black veins crawled up Will's neck, and he suddenly broke out of one of his binds. Joyce jumped forward to grab his arm so i wouldn't have to stop, but Will jerked forward and wrapped a hand tightly around her throat. Glancing at her, guilt settled deep in my gut that I could do nothing but watch.

"Get out of my friend you bitch," I screamed, finishing the spell with a flourish and falling out of my seat when a burst of power spread out of Will and through the room. The entirety of the Shadow Monster was out, and disappeared into the night without much fuss.

Nancy helped me to my feet, and I nervously looked to Will. Joyce was stroking his hair, muttering under her breath and crying quietly when he didn't wake up. Heart dropping, I went to his side. If the spell went wrong and I did something to him...

Will's eyes opened. Sighing in relief, you took a step back.

"Mom?"

Joyce and Jonathan both tackled Will into a tight hug, and all of them cried together. Looking away in a poor attempt to keep my composure, I reached up to touch the locket around my neck. My ancestry was inside that locket, the family I'd always felt so connected to was with me. Always. Just like Joyce and Jonathan did everything they could for Will.

Stepping over to the radio in the corner, I adjusted the stations and turned on the walkie, "Hopper, close it."

It was up to Eleven and Hopper at that point. Getting up, I grabbed glasses of water for everyone since we sweat so much. Will especially needed to hydrate.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," Will said quietly when I handed him his plastic cup.

Smiling slightly, I took a seat, "I'm sorry for running away. If I kept trying we probably could have avoided this."

Joyce wrapped her free arm around you, "We don't blame you, (Y/n). You've done more than we could have asked for. And that fact that you had to keep that secret for so many years..."

"It's a Cardinal Rule," I shrugged off the reminder of the punishments I could face if it got out that I had told _so_ many people one of our biggest secrets. There were worse fates than death, and those with magic easily found them. No one would ever know, because everyone I had told had their own secrets.

Without warning, the lights around the cabin suddenly grew brighter without explanation. So bright it was blinding and everyone had to close their eyes. Then it stopped.

"It's over."

~*~

"Do you really have to go?"

"We were supposed to leave yesterday. It's time for me to go home," I laughed slightly as that statement only made Max cling onto me tighter.

"Hawkins is home though, right?" Lucas asked.

Staying silent, I pulled the group in for one final hug. Eleven was even able to come to say goodbye because all of this was taking place inside my grandma's house instead of out.

"Stay in touch, yeah?" I addressed both Eleven and Max, excited to have more girlfriends, "Oh, and tell me how the Snowball is! It always sounded so legendary when we were in middle school, I want to know if the rumors are true."

The group gave a resounding nod at that. Looking back to your parents, who were talking quietly with Joyce and Hopper, they met your eyes and nodded. The car was already packed up, and it was time to go.

"Kitty," Eleven walked over, Castor in her arms. The glamour put on him was slowly wearing off, so he was stuck in the body of a cat with the colors of a fox.

"Not exactly," I chuckled, taking Castor from her. Luna and Raven were already in the car.

"Visit again?" Will asked, his eyes finally bright again.

"Of course. Maybe next time I'll bring some of my friends. You guys would love them. Mike, Richie looks just like you. It was weird at first."

"Is he cool?"

"No, he's an asshole but I love him. Anyway, we should probably get going. I have people waiting for me back in Derry."

One final hug was exchanged, a few tears shed, and goodbyes shared with the adults and teenagers that also came along. Then, I stepped into the car and we took off. The group gathered around the front of my grandma's house to wave, and I waved back until we turned the corner until we were out of sight.

"We saw the article in the newspaper today. Chemical leak?" My mom looked in the rearview mirror with a raised brow.

"You know the news is usually wrong," you shrugged, "It was a lot more dangerous and life threatening than that, of course... Joyce's boyfriend died."

"We heard," Dad chimed in, "You need to stop getting into situations like this."

"What's the point of knowing battle magic if I can't use it?"

"Self defense, (Y/n). You shouldn't go out looking for Eldritches. Otherwise we might lose you."

The car fell into a tense silence after that. Crossing my arms, I sunk down in my seat. It's not like I _wanted_ to get into dangerous situations all the time. It just happened, and then you dealt with it while the situation was developing. If you had your way, you'd live a normal life. But noooo, the universe obviously didn't want that for you.

With a sigh, my dad spoke up again, "We decided to keep the house. Next summer, if you want, you can come back here with your friends."

My heart swelled at the idea, and the obvious show of love from my parents. My dad never had the best relationship with his mom, that much was clear, but they were keeping the house for me anyway.

"Thanks. I love you guys."

"We love you too."

Leaning my head against the window, I closed my eyes and decided to catch up on all the sleep I'd missed.

~*~

Pulling up to our house, I wasn't surprised to see the Losers Club riding past on their bikes while we were unloading the trunk. Looking to my parents, they nodded. Grinning, I sprinted down the driveway toward my friends. The Losers were quick to get off their bikes and run toward me as well.

"S-Stan told us yo-you called him," Bill stated after we all pulled back from our round of hugs.

"You scared me, (Y/n)," Stan admitted, hugging me the longest.

"I thought I was going to die," I whispered into his shoulder, "It was like last summer all over again."

A solemn silence fell over the group at the reminder of all the trauma we went through the previous summer, and of the serious comparison of what happened in Hawkins to what happened in Derry.

"How about we go to the Clubhouse?" Ben suggested, ever one of the resident sweethearts (he tied with Mike during the official vote), "We can sleep over there, and you can tell us what happened."

"Yeah, just give me an hour so I can unpack and I'll meet you guys there. We'll bring the normal stuff?"

With a resounding, "Yeah." The boys got back on their bikes and started off down the street. Stan was the last, and he seemed to hesitate for a minute.

Assuming what he wanted was a kiss, I leaned forward and pecked his lips. His face filled with color, but he also seemed more nervous before.

"Stan?"

"I love you too," he stated, almost too quiet for me to hear, "You aren't crazy. I love you too."

Grinning so widely my cheeks hurt, I leaned forward and pecked his lips again. With that, he got onto his bike and rode after the other Losers. Stepping onto the road, I cupped my hands around my mouth and screamed, "I love you Stanley Uris!"

His head ducked down and I knew he must be beet red. The idea made me laugh.

"I love you more than he does!" Richie's voice was nearly inaudible, but his natural loudness made up for it.

Shaking my head, I felt something nudge my ankle. Castor was looking up at you, all smug, "Shut up. Now come on, the faster we unpack the fast you can cuddle with Mike."

I'd never seen Castor run so fast.


	18. Undines

_"Anywhere with you is a great place for me"_

🔮

**Chapter Eighteen - Undines**

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Undines (or ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, first named in the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Similar creatures are found in classical literature, particularly Ovid's Metamorphoses. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern literature and art through such adaptations as Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" and the Undine of Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué.

Undines are almost invariably depicted as being female, and are usually found in forest pools and waterfalls. The group contains many species, including nereides, limnades, naiades and mermaids. Although resembling humans in form, they lack a human soul, so to achieve mortality they must acquire one by marrying a human. Such a union is not without risk for the man, because if he is unfaithful, then he is fated to die.

The thought of undines made me chuckle slightly as Stan led me through the forest toward the quarry. If I were an Undine, then I had no doubt Stan would be perfectly fine if we got married. He was a sap, and too devoted to even think about anyone else.

He was leading through the cold woods for a date he'd apparently been planning for two weeks. I'd heard some of the Losers whispering about it, and Bev interrogated me about things I found romantic during our last call. Needless to say, I was excited for what was to come.

It had snowed recently, the weather typical of a Maine November. Thanks to small charms I put on both me and Stan, neither of us were shivering our butts off in the cold air. Point for me and my magic.

"So are you going to tell me why you're bringing me to the quarry in the middle of November? I hope you aren't planning on swimming because I don't know if I'd be able to heat all the water up," I quipped, ducking under an ice-covered tree branch.

"No, I uh, well I thought we could go ice skating," the two of you approached a low edge of the quarry, and Stan reached into his bag to pull out a pair of ice skates, "I thought it'd be a nice date. Bev told me you used to skate a lot and that you liked it and we go to the quarry a lot so..."

Lips quirking up, I giggled and reached down to tap my shoes three times and trace a line along the soles. Blades formed along the bottoms. Slowly sitting down on one of the icy rocks, I patiently waited for Stan to pull on his own pair of ice skates.

When he was ready, the two of us swiggled down the rocks and touched down on the Losers Club's favorite hangout spot in the summer. Crouching down to place a hand on the ice, I hummed for a few seconds and relished in the light blue glow that enveloped the ground beneath me before it turned white again.

"There, no chance of the ice breaking now," I stated, standing and pushing myself forward slightly. Turning back, I noticed that Stan hadn't moved and was clutching onto the rock for dear life, "Don't tell me you can't skate. This whole thing was your idea!"

"I can!" Stan let go of the rock and took a few strokes before his feet went out from under him and he was on his butt, "Ow! Okay, maybe not."

Rolling my eyes, I went back toward him and helped him to his feet. Keeping his gloved hands tightly into mine, I moved us farther into the lake away from the reassurance of the shore. Stan's eyes were wide and on me the entire time.

"You know, it'd help if you moved your feet and at least tried," I teased, relishing in the added red tint to his cheeks and ears. Thanks to the spell that kept the cold away, it couldn't be excused as a circumstance of the weather.

After the taunt, Stan started trying to skate again. It took a few attempts, and many near wipeouts, but eventually he seemed confident enough to move around on his own. At that point, the two of us hesitantly let go of each other's hands in favor of simply moving around the ice together.

Knowing I was much better and more practiced than Stan was, I took my time making circles so he could keep up with me. I'd had my fun teasing him and skating around. He'd planned all this for me even though he couldn't skate for his life. The least I could do was stay close to him.

"How are you so good at this?" Stan huffed when I managed a small loop jump.

"Magic," I wiggled my fingers with an impish grin.

Frowning, Stan muttered, "I can't tell if your being serious or not."

Laughing, I then sighed and looked over the frozen expanse of the quarry, "A little bit of both. The Party and I used to go ice skating during the winter a lot at the Lover's Lake in Hawkins. Lucas knocked a tooth out once and we never let him live it down... Afterwards we would always drink hot chocolate together and play DnD in Mike's- Wheeler's basement. But ever since I found all my grandma's stuff in Hawkins and connected with magic in a new way... it's a lot easier to remember or come up with spells. So a little balance charm on my shoes is helping."

"I remember you mentioning that. It has something to do with your locket, right?" Stan was stumbling like a newborn deer behind me as I strayed ahead a bit, but he had yet to fall again and that was what mattered.

"A bit. It was so connected to all of my ancestors that it has bits and pieces of their magic stored in it. Sometimes it's like I can hear them trying to speak to me, giving me advice - good or bad. But my grandma has _so_ many spellbooks. There are spells in them I didn't even know existed. She probably kept them to herself because The Council would have taken them for testing."

"This Council sounds kind of awful."

"They aren't that bad. They keep us all in line and try to keep us safe. That's what the Three Rules are for. Of course they have their faults, but all governing bodies do. Besides, if I play my cards right then I won't have to worry about ever meeting them. Magic users are registered at birth and death, and only brought in when reported."

"So they can't keep track of what spells you cast?"

"No, if they did then I would have been brought in when-" when I brought Georgie back to life "... huh, I lost my train of thought."

Shaking off the weird feeling that settled over me, I focused on the snow melting and glistening in Stan's hair. It had begun snowing again. The two of us shared bright smiles at the change in weather and began skating at a faster pace.

After a while (I didn't have a watch, and I was having too much fun to be keeping track of the time), I heard some rustling in the woods. Glancing over, I squinted and noticed two figures approaching.

Bowers, Pennywise, the Demo-dogs. Bowers, Pennywise, the Demo-dogs. Bowers, Pennywise, the Demo-dogs. They were coming. They were coming. They were-

A loud thud and a just as loud groan of pain brought me out of my panicked thoughts. That caught Stan's attention, and he looked over as well, much calmer than I was which reassured me. There was a hint of annoyance in his gaze.

"Jesus, Richie! Stan asked us to do this one thing and you messed it up!"

"Quiets, Eds. You're just mad that I had to be your knight in shining armor and sneak you out of the house through your window."

"You think my mom would let me out in this kind of weather? I could get hyperthermia! Even simple frostbite could lead to finger and toes needing to be ampu-"

"You look like a marshmallow, Eds. You're fine."

Richie and Eddie stepped out of the treeline. When they realized Stan and I were staring at them, Richie waved and Eddie quickly smacked his hand down with a scowl. That didn't bring down Richie's mood, however. He reached into his backpack and pulled out two thermoses.

"What are you guys doing here?' I asked, skating over to them.

"Stan the Ladies Man here asked us to drop off some hot chocolate as a surprise for your date," Richie grinned lecherously, "He worked super hard on this, even thought _I_ could have told him you'd dig this. I think he wanted to get some-"

Eddie smacked Richie upside the head, "Gross, Richie. Stan asked us to do it _quietly_ so you wouldn't know and it'd be a cool surprise, but then the fuckup over here decided to trip on a sheet of ice."

Stan was beet red, and I wasn't sure if it was because of anger or embarrassment. Either way, I grabbed his hand and easily pulled him over to me so I could kiss his cheek. Considering it was already impossible for him to get any redder, he simply covered his face with his gloved hands.

"I should have asked Ben, Mike, and Bill to do it," he groaned.

"You _love_ us Stanley. Almost as much as you love (Y/n)," Richie taunted.

Richie hadn't let us live our love confession down. We weren't ashamed of it, so it was rarely embarrassing. But when he brought it up loudly during lunch at school, or refused to stop talking about the way our "hearts appeared in our eyes when we looked at each other like we hung the stars" it could be a bit much. That was Richie though, and we all loved him anyway.

Rolling my eyes, I asked the pair, "Do you two want to skate with us for a bit? Since you already crashed our date?"

The two were quick to launch into a plethora of excuses about why they couldn't join. The excuses ranged from possible injuries to Richie having a "hot date" he needed to go on. Stan and I shared a look. We both knew none of their excuses were real. They probably just didn't want the two of us crashing _their_ date like they crashed ours.

"Alright, we'll see you at school then."

The pair nodded, and left without much fuss. Another look was exchanged between Stan and me, then we lost it. Doubling over in laughter and nearly losing our balance, we struggled to catch our breaths as we hung onto the rocks next to us like lifelines.

"Oh my god! Those two are so obvious!" I cackled.

"How long until they tell the rest of us?" Stan questioned.

The entire Loser's Club knew that Richie and Eddie were basically in love with each other and neither of them were very good at hiding it when they were in a safe environment (ie: with the rest of the club). Derry was a small town and was small-minded as well. They treated Mike like an outsider, and if Eddie and Richie were out and proud it'd be the same (probably worse) for them. The Losers Club was a bit different, though. Everyone had been close enough to death to not give a shit anymore.

(There were times, in Hawkins, when Will would walkie me. He spoke about his dad, and the words he called him when Will didn't want to do "normal" things. When Will said he didn't like any girls at school. Sometimes he cried. Other times we just talked about it. As far as I knew I was the only one who put the pieces together. Will was still finding himself as well, and that was okay.)

"I don't even think they've told each other because both of them are so oblivious," I wiped a cold tear from my eye, "They've been dancing around each other as long as I've known them. What about you?"

Pulling himself onto the rock holding all our stuff, Stan began pulling at his skates laces, "They've always been weirdly close, and you see how they interact. I bet by Christmas they'll be together."

"Ten bucks says it happens _on_ Christmas," I held out my hand and Stan shook it.

"You're on."

Turning my shoes back to normal, Stan and I sat there for a while longer to enjoy the scenery. We drank from the thermoses that Eddie and Richie brought, still giggling every so often over the funny pair that they made.

"My parents want to host a Christmas party for us at their house," I revealed when my hot chocolate was halfway gone. It was warm instead of hot, but it didn't bother me much. I could heat up the thermos if I needed to.

"Your parents are probably the only ones who actually care about us," Stan sighed. I reached over and put a reassuring hand on his knee.

"They do their best. Things weren't great for a while, but they're better now. Being magic users helps. So does being raised outside of Derry. For so long It was just... sucking the light out of everything here. Sometimes it still feels like that. Hopefully things get better in the future as people detox. Until then, my window is always unlocked."

The sun was starting to set by the time the two of us finished our drinks. Stan put the empty cups in his bag and we started on our way back to the town. Because of the snowfall, the snow on the ground was deeper than before and made the walk back slow going. Not that I was going to complain about being able to hold Stan's hand and talk to him longer.

"I'm so glad you cast that warmth spell on us," Stan grimaced at his soaked pant legs, "We probably would have had to head back a lot earlier if you didn't."

The road was just ahead. Because it was winter, the Losers Club couldn't ride their bikes around in a pack anymore. This meant walking around all bundled up, trying to siphon off each other's warmth. No one in the group was very happy about it, but there wasn't much they could do.

Without Bowers, it felt safe to walk on the main roads hand in hand. There were no psychos looking for poor souls to torment. The thought filled me with a strong sense of relief. Finally, after so much pain and struggle in both Derry and Hawkins, things were okay again.

"Thanks for today, it was really nice. Next time I'll plan something romantic," I told Stan when we stopped on my doorstep to say goodbye, "I'll let you know about that Christmas party too, give you a heads up for buying presents."

"Don't worry, I've already bought them."

"... Of course you did, you're Stanley Uris," I giggled, "The Official Dad of the Loser's Club."

"Don't even mention that. It's still weird that Mike got Official Mom."

"Well it couldn't be me or Bev! We're the Official Badass and Official Weirdest. I think it could have been Bill, but since he got Official Motivational Speaker we had to even things out."

"Sometimes I hate everyone."

Rolling my eyes, I leaned in and kissed Stan gently, "Even me?"

"Never."

Reaching back and opening my front door, I said, "Good answer. I'll see you at school?"

"Yeah, see you there."

Stepping inside and closing the door behind me, I turned and swore internally. My parents were sitting on two chairs stolen from the kitchen and placed by the front door, facing it. Percy was playing with a few toys at their feet. Even Castor was there, waiting at my mom's side. He looked smug.

"So, you wanna tell us how your date went?"


	19. Krampus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute and fluffy chapter before we jump back into the actual storyline

_"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, and hope for the future"_

🔮

**Chapter Nineteen - Krampus**

🔮

In Central European folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure who accompanies Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season, and who punishes bad children.

Krampus is described as a hairy "half-goat, half-demon", who has one hoof and one foot. His hair is usually brown or black, his hooves are cloven, and a long, pointed tongue lolls out of his fanged mouth.

The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having pre-Christian origins. The history of the Krampus figure has been theorized as stretching back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions.

My parents had insisted on having Christmas at our house before the first of December even hit. They were more than excited to host the first official Losers Club Christmas. Considering they were some of the best parents of the bunch, they had the best chance of dealing with 8 hyperactive kids the night after Christmas.

I'd had my problems with them in the past. Bickering and doubts plaguing our minds since we moved to Derry, but ever since It they were doing everything they could to work past that and I could see that. So, intricate Christmas party at our house it was!

Bev was the first to arrive since we were the ones who picked her up from the bus station. The two of us hugged tightly for a solid minute before we even thought about seperating. The car ride was full of laughter and quickfire conversations about everything that had happened since we last saw each other.

Stan was the second to come - of course. Bev gave him a terrifying shovel talk, and he was pale and shaking by the end of it when she gave him a hug and said she missed him.

Ben was next. Bev basically hogged him all to herself and pulled him into a conversation that neither you or Stan could really butt into. That was fine with the two of you. Let the couples have their own time, was the silent conversation you and Stan shared.

Bill and Mike were next. Both of them were cheerful and set their gifts under the small Christmas tree that was set up before joining in on the conversation.

Richie and Eddie were last, and came in like the storm they were. Laughing and bickering simultaneously, dropping off their presents and interrupting the previous discussion about schoolwork with a Losers Club Pole about whether marvel or DC comics were better.

It was a great start to a great night. No one talked about what they did for Christmas day. Stan told you his parents put in minimal effort about it. Bev still had a generally tense relationship with her aunt so you assumed it wasn't great for her. Bill's home life had improved since Georgie had come home, but things weren't perfect yet. Mike and Ben both called you the day before to wish you a Merry Christmas - again, resident sweethearts - and mentioned mundane Christmas activities. Richie's parents took off Christmas Eve night to visit family, and Eddie was presumably smothered by his mother the entire day. You had a great Christmas. With your parents and Percy, you celebrated Yule by following tradition and burning the Yule log in the backyard before getting to presents. Everyone from the Party called at some point, even El.

So yeah, instead of making anyone feel bad about their potentially sucky Christmas, everyone found different subjects to touch on. Complaining about our homework over break was the main topic. Ben offered to help Bill with his history project, and Mike offered to help Richie with biology since he loved animals so much. Bev bragged because her school hadn't given her homework over break, causing everyone to cuss her out good-naturedly.

Dinner that night was three large pizzas and two two-liters of pop. Everyone ate off of paper plates and drank out of plastic cups. No one had ever had more fun.

While eating, I cued up a plethora of taped Christmas movies. Eventually they faded to the background as board games were pulled out. Board games eventually delved into normal party games, such as truth or dare.

"Alright, Stan, truth or dare?" Bev asked, rolling the Circle's (formerly Ben's) silver dollar between her fingers. (Eddie was wearing Ben's flannel, my family's locket was around Richie's neck, one of Bev's hairclips was holding back Stan's curls, Bill had Richie's patchwork jacket on, Mike had brought some of his things in one of Eddie's fanny packs, Stan's Painted Bunting was in my pocket, and Mike's mittens were tucked in with Ben's things)

"... dare," Stan said after a moment's hesitation.

"I dare you to go out and roll around in the snow."

Groaning, Stan got up and complied. All of us followed after him and nearly bottlenecked the entrance to the basement in our haste to follow. My parents were playing with Percy in the living room, and paid us little mind as we passed with bare feet and stepped out the front door with no shoes or coats on.

Sending us all one last pleading look, Stan went and laid down in the snow when he saw that no one would help him. Doing a full roll three times, Stan then stood and shook himself off.

"I ha-hate you a-a-all," he grit out between chattering teeth.

Cackling, we all relished in Stan's pain as he flipped us off and waddled inside where my mom was waiting with a warm blanket.

"Kids are cruel," she sighed, wrapping the blanket tightly around Stan and running a hand through his hair to shake out some of the snow, "You need a haircut, Stan."

"I know, Mrs. Talbot," Stan flushed in embarrassment, eliciting another round of chuckles from the group.

"Why don't you go and start passing around presents? I'll be down to bring some hot chocolate in a few minutes."

"Okay, Mom."

"Sure, Mrs. Talbot."

Handing out presents was like another party all on its own. The Losers had drawn names a couple of weeks ago. You drew Ben and were more than happy to go through old family collections to find things you thought he'd enjoy.

The Loser's received: a giant thing of hand sanitizer for Eddie, a 1,000 piece bird puzzle for Stan, a book full of pick-up lines for Richie, an English to French dictionary for Bill, a vegetarian cookbook for Mike, a collection of antique photographs for Ben, and a traditional witches hat for you.

"Wow, thanks Richie," you rolled your eyes, putting the hat on your head all the same.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the smug grin on Richie's face said otherwise.

"Oh, look at that! All of you went through your presents quickly. Just in time for hot chocolate and our gifts for you all."

"Gi-gifts?" Bill questioned

"What kind of hosts would we be without gifts?" My dad passed out an envelope to every one of the losers, including you.

Each member of the Loser's Club opened their envelope and pulled out a $50 bill. Sounds of disbelief and awe went around your Circle. Chuckling under your breath, you send your parents a wide-eyed look.

"Obviously, we know that we're parents and therefore not as cool or understanding of what you're going through. But we have space in the house for anyone who needs it. Our daughter formed a Circle with you seven, and that's a sacred bond that can never be broken. It's even more sacred because none of you are magic users. To allow that to flourish and grow, this home and the protections around it can be a haven. As far as we're concerned, you're all our family now," my dad smiled, passing around cups of hot chocolate from the tray my mom was holding.

Further exclamations of joy sounded at the prospect of a consistently stable place to stay and receive parental love. Richie chugged his hot chocolate too fast and spit it back into the cup. Eddie smacked his arm and went off about the germs he just put into his drink.

"There's actually," my mom spoke up again, gaining everyone's attention, "One more surprise. For (Y/n) and Bev."

Conveniently, Bev and I were sitting next to each other in the circle, so my mom handed the final - and bigger - envelope to Bev. She opened it and slid out the piece of paper inside.

"Holy fuck," she gasped, bursting into tears.

Curious about her reaction, I took the paper from her hands and swore just as loudly.

"You didn't!'

I passed the slip of paper to Stan, who gasped and passed it to Bill.

"It took a little magic, but we completed everything today and got the papers," my dad beamed. Percy squealed, waddling around my parents' feet, "Beverly Marsh, welcome to the Talbot family."

By that time, the Certificate of Adoption had finished going around the Circle - literally and figuratively - and was back in Bev's hands. They were shaking, and Bev was still crying.

"Bev," I whispered, pulling her in for a hug.

My parents knelt down beside us and joined the hug, Percy babbling in between us all. Bev had been my sister since I first sat across from her at lunch, since she first showed up at my house, since she was the first person I told about being a witch. Not it was official. Bev wouldn't have to live with an aunt who drank too much or a dad who abused her. She'd be well-fed, well-clothed, and well-loved.

"Beb, Beb, Beb," Percy squaled, catching onto our excitement.

"Yes, Bev!" Bev cheered, picking Percy up and holding him close,"Wait, that wasn't his first word, right?"

"Oh, no, he said Mom first," my mom was still smug about that.

We pulled apart, and my parents made an excuse about making brownies for us to give our group some alone time.

"Dude, your parents are fucking awesome," Richie marveled.

"It's pretty cool that they're using magic to do something like this," Mike nodded in agreement.

"As long as it was overall legal," Stan nudged Mike but still managed a smile.

"The fifty bucks was cool too," Ben said sheepishly.

A new excitement hung over the club. It wasn't just Christmas anymore, it was a new beginning. I assumed my parents would be moving us to a bigger house with four bedrooms instead of three. There was always one or two up for sale in Derry. We'd take Bev shopping and revamp her wardrobe and new room. My house would become our winter clubhouse.

After all the amazing presents we watched another movie. Bev cuddled with me the whole time - much to Stan's dismay - calling dibs on her new sister. Sister! Bev was my sister by law and I couldn't be happier.

When it went from late at night to early in the morning, the living had transformed into a giant nest of pillows and blankets. Bev and I took over the bathroom first, catching sight of the mistletoe on the light fixture. Giggling, we each gave each other a harmless kiss on the cheek. Bev, Stan, and I had hung a few up since they were the first ones here and in on the master plan.

Stan and Bill were up next, and from the chuckles they were sharing when they came back, I knew they were good natured about it. Ben and Mike reacted similarly. Then Richie and Eddie got up.

"You sure it'll work?" Ben asked as I pulled out a mirror that'd let us see through the one in the bathroom thanks to a simple charm.

"The truth potion I sprinkled on their brownies was extremely short living, but effective. It'll work."

The two went about their business then turned to leave. Richie grabbed Eddie's arm to stop him, pointing up.

"I thought they were up to something."

"Eddie flushed, "It's not like the others made out-"

Richie grabbed Eddie by his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. Us losers cheered quietly when it happened, exchanging high fives. All of us knew Richie and Eddie had a thing for each other. Stan and I suspected they were on a date when they brought us hot chocolate in the woods. But the way they reacted to kissing suggested that line hadn't been crossed yet.

"I like you, Eds," Richie confessed under the truth potion. Another round of quiet cheers and high fives went around, "And I carved our initials into the kissing bridge and I'm terrified you'll be disgusted and leave me even though we held hands and-"

"Richie, shut up. My mom told me being gay was an illness, but everything she's ever said was bullshit. I like girly things sometimes, and I like you too. Even if you can be an asshole."

"Alright, we should probably give them privacy now," I sighed, putting the mirror away.

A few minutes later they returned, satisfied smiles stretching across their faces.

"What's got you two so happy, huh?" Mike asked innocently.

"We just confessed that we liked each other," they stated in unison, paled, shared a look, and continued, "What the hell?"

"Truth potion," I practically sang, thumbing through a magazine, "Sprinkled over your brownies when you weren't looking. It should wear off in- Stan can I see your watch?" Stan held his wrist up to your face, "Like thirty seconds."

"We don't care if that's what you're worried about," Ben rushed to assure them.

"Yea-yeah. We a-all knew it was cuh-coming," Bill added with a smile.

"I hate you guys," Eddie was bright red, and stomped over to his claimed section of the pillow nest to hide under the blankets.

"Looks like the truth serum has worn off," Stan quipped.

"Aw, come on Eds. Now you can finally confess your love to everyone who will listen!" Richie exclaimed dramatically, receiving a dirty sock to the face, "Ew, don't be an asshole, Eddie-Spaghetti!"

"You were the asshole first!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"You were too! You didn't even ask when you..."

Setting your magazine down, you scooched a bit closer to Stan, "Aren't you glad we aren't like that?"

"I don't think we'd last if we were like them," Stan chuckled as Eddie and Richie tried to strangle each other, "But they make crazy work."

"We make crazy work too, just a different kind."

A pillow knocked you in the back of the head. Gasping in mock offense, you spun around to face a smirking Bev, "Killed by my own sister! Fuck me gently with a chainsaw!"

"Pillow fight!"

Healing isn't linear. Each of the losers had moments where they'd stare a little too long at storm drains, or look wearily into the distance like they were expecting their worst fear to pop out at them. But things were getting better, and someday all of you would be okay all the time again.

Right now, you just wanted to enjoy the best time of your life. 


	20. Green Clawed Beast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based off of Arachnophobia by damthosefandoms. It's a Batfam oneshot that I found hilarious. I couldn't bring myself to write the Losers Club arriving in Hawkins without describing the hell they went through on the car together on the way there. Enjoy!

The Green Clawed Beast was an unseen cryptid that is rumored to live in the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana.

On August 14, 1955, an unseen "claw-like hand" grabbed Naomi Johnson and pulled her beneath the water. Her friend, Louise was wading in an inner tube nearby when she heard her friend yelp and turned to see her pulled under. The hand released Johnson who swam to the surface only to be grabbed and pulled under again and again. The attack only ended when Louise moved her inner tube directly over the monster. A short time later, a man claiming to be an air force colonel came to the Johnson's house and instructed Naomi to never speak of the incident. There have been no reported sightings since.

I'd never had the time to investigate the claims of a monster in the Ohio River. But apparently, my parents had when they were younger for fun. They said it was the work of an angered spirit that wanted blood. They were the ones to exorcise the spirit and allow it to move on.

Indiana, where the Green Clawed Beast was seen. Indiana, where Hawkins was. Indiana, where the Losers Club was currently driving to for the summer. It took a lot of working at odd jobs around town for everyone, but eventually, we all scrounged up the cash for a van that could hold all of us.

(After Christmas, the Losers Club fell into a new routine full of happiness. Things felt good. Or at the very least okay. Bev was back with the team, and now there was an official place everyone could go to hideaway. The four-bedroom house your parents bought during the new year to house my now larger family. School was boring, exams sucked, and now it was summer and you were on a short road trip with your new friends to have them meet - and hopefully bond with - your old friends!)

Mike was driving - it was never even a question, everyone just assumed he'd drive - while Bill sat shotgun. That left Richie, Eddie, and Ben in the middle row, and me, Stan, and Bev in the way back. Castor was up front, dozing on Bill's lap. It was a 17-hour drive that all of us were only 5 hours into. We'd left early in the morning, making it early in the afternoon at that point. We'd stopped for breakfast two hours into the drive, and were almost ready to stop for lunch and stretch again.

My parents were hesitant to let the eight of you drive to Hawkins without supervision. Apparently, the Losers Club was "a magnet for trouble, supernatural or not". It was a worthy argument, but of course, we'd bought an _8_ person van, not a 9 or 10 person van. That and, apparently they were suckers for Bev's begging. She'd been a part of the family for a couple of months and she was already the favorite. You and Percy would have to band together in the future.

It had taken a month to plan everything, and numerous calls back and forth with The Party (and Joyce because that woman was a goddess). Eventually, everything little kink was worked out. My parents had never sold my grandma's house, so the Losers would be staying there. The better parents of the club (mine and Bev's, Bill's, and Mike's grandpa) approved and even gave us kids money to spend. The lesser parents either threatened to lock their child up to keep them away from the bad influence of the club (Eddie's and Stan's) or didn't care enough to comment (Richie's and Ben's). Either way, all of us were on the road, and Eddie and Stan would be staying with me and Bev for a bit in the fall too until their parents calmed down.

I loved my Circle. I really, really did. We'd been through shit together that other people couldn't even dream of. We'd made a blood pact and bonded through trauma, filling in the cracks of each other's minds and hearts. But of course, when you were five hours into a car ride with some of the strangest personalities on the planet, tensions were easily formed.

"What's that?" Richie asked suddenly, looking up from the Rubik's cube he'd been messing with for a solid hour.

"What's what?" I questioned, looking up from the spellbook of my grandma's I'd been studying. Stan remained fast asleep on my shoulder.

"That," Richie said, pointing. He set the cube down in his lab, "The smudge on the window. I think it's moving."

"What are y- oh my god!" Eddie shrieked, slamming his back into the seat of the car. Stan stirred slightly at the noise but showed no signs of waking up.

"Are you guys good?" Bill called from the front of the car.

His question was met with a loud cry of, "Do you know how many venomous spiders there are in this area? Ben, move over!"

"You know, some of us are trying to sleep, Eddie," Stan grumbled, having roused only to say that before dozing off once again. He wasn't a morning person and was trying to make up for the early start time. I'd find it endearing if I wasn't focused on the situation at hand.

"Well, I'm trying to avoid getting poisoned!" Eddie shoved Ben off the seatbelt buckle, right into the car door.

"Poisoned by what, exactly?" Bev glanced up from her magazine, finally giving the screaming some attention.

"That!" Eddie pointing accusingly at the same fuzzy, black smudge sticking to the window.

"What kind is it?" Ben asked, attempting to move away from the door and lean toward the other side of the car. Before he could, though, his seatbelt got stuck, so he turned back to his seat and tried to pull at it.

"It's just a spider," Richie offered, reaching his hand out.

Stan woke up, mumbling something that vaguely sounded like, "What's going on?" He turned to look at Richie - who was in the seat in front of him - and followed his hand's path toward the window with his eyes, "Shit!" He yelled, suddenly wide awake. He jumped back in fear and shoved me to the side.

"Watch it!"

"You all are chickens," Richie reached out and finally got the spider onto his hand.

"I'm gonna kill you, Richie!" Stan reached for his seat buckle but stopped when Bev put a hand on his shoulder.

Eddie was practically sitting on Ben's lap at this point, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Making a friend," Richie claimed, observing the spider closer. He then grinned maliciously, looking back to Eddie-

"I'll never kiss you again if that gets any closer to me!"

Richie took the threat seriously, and instead twisted in his seat to face all of us in the back row, "Want to meet him? His name is Francis."

"I'm gonna hex you so hard your head is gonna be in your ass! Get it out!" I screamed. Yes, sometimes spiders were needed in spells. Yes, spiders were related to several deities that you both believed in and called upon in the past, but _jesus christ_ you hated the creepy looking fuckers.

"Quit screaming, I'm trying to drive," Mike yelled, glancing up at the rear-view mirror, trying to get a quick glimpse into the chaos. "What the hell's going on back there?"

"Nothing!"

"Bullshit!" Stan hissed, "Richie is torturing us!"

"Mike, you like animals, do something!" Bev added on, more annoyed than anything else.

"We'd all know if he was actually torturing you," I could sense Mike rolling his eyes when he said that.

Bill sighed and said, "Ke-keep your eyes on the rah-road, Mike. I'll hand-le-le this," Bill was careful with Castor as he turned around in his seat to get a better look, "What are you doing, T-t-trashmouth?"

"Nothing that'll seriously traumatize or injure anyone," Richie responded vaguely, "I'm not a fucking psycho."

"That's debatable," Ben muttered, finally getting his seatbelt to let him relax, though Eddie was quick to pick up the slack and move even closer.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?" Richie swung his hands wildly as he cried out, then froze.

Stan and I shared a look of pure horror, Eddie was on the verge of tears as he came to the same conclusion the rest of us had.

"Richie... please tell me you didn't."

"Whoops?"

"Richie, where's Francis?" Ben whispered.

Richie gulped, "I think... he's gone."

"It's the jumping kind!" I screeched, "It could be anywhere now!"

"But where is-"

"Motherfucker!" Eddie jumped so high he hit his head on the roof of the van - which was a feat due to his height, "It's on my leg! It's on my leg!"

The tiny black blur flew off Eddie's leg as he kicked wildly, landing directly on Bill's hand. He barely even noticed, instead choosing to try to calm everyone down. Then the spider jumped right onto Mike's cheek.

Eddie, hysterical at this point, moved like a bullet and smacked Mike straight across the face without a second thought.

The car swerved to the left, and everyone was thrown to the side. Limbs were flying everywhere. Castor yelped as he went from Bill's lap to the floor. Stan, Bev, and I all ended up piled on top of each other.

"Edward Jason Kaspbrak!" Mike boomed, spinning around to glare at him after getting control of the car. He pulled over to the side of the road. About seven different people had beeped at him while driving past.

"Oh no." All of you were utterly screwed.

"What were you thinking?" There was a reason everyone did their best to keep Mike happy. He was the scariest of the group when he was mad. Even Bev couldn't hold a candle to the fear all of us felt under his glare.

"It- it was on your cheek and it could have bit you and we're _miles_ away from a hospital and- what if you got poisoned? What would we do then?"

Mike glared at him for a full minute, then took a deep breath and turned back to look through the windshield. Blue and red lights flashed just behind you. Shit. Fuck!

"Great job, Trashmouth!" Everyone exclaimed in unison.

"Buckle up, now," Bill ordered, his stutter completely absent.

Everyone scrambled back into their seats, pulling their seatbelts on as the sirens got louder.

"Wa-wait," Bill was staring at Mike, "Mike, there's no spider guts on your cheek."

"What?" Eddie looked down at his hands, "I could've sworn I- oh no."

Everyone's gaze simultaneously went to Stan. It was like we knew. _Forgive me Neith_ , I thought, _There's about to be a massacre on one of your children_.

"What?" Stan's eyes filled with confusion. He looked all around, but no one said anything, "(Y/n), what's wrong?"

Shaking my head slowly, I scooted away from him. All's fair and love and war, my betrayal was justified.

"Don't move," Bev's time had finally come.

"Bev? What are you..." he sighed, "It's on my face, isn't it?"

One of Stan's best friends, someone with whom he shared a bond as deep as being soulmates, responded by punching him directly in the nose.

"Got it!" Bev beamed, "Bill, can you pass me the first aid kit? Stan might need some ice."

"I hate you all!" Stan was clutching his nose, his words coming out as "I bate to nall!"

Now that the spider was gone, you sent another mental apology to Neith, and leaned forward to gently touch Stan's nose, "I can fix it, just give me a second."

Richie sighed dramatically, "You guys killed Francis! What am I supposed to annoy you all with now?"

"Your presence does that just fine," Ben stated dryly.

Then there was a knock on the window. Mike motioned for everyone to zip it, then rolled the window down. He put on his best smile, but shit he was a black teenager driving in the 80s and just got approached by a cop.

"How can I help you, officer?"

Quietly unbuckling, you shimmied your way out of the last row and climbed over the second. The cop was too distracted looking at Mike's license and the car's registration to notice.

"Sorry," you whispered to Eddie when you landed on him ungracefully. Popping your head up to the front, you snapped twice and pointed your ring finger at the officer.

"No problem here," the officer handed back the papers and Mike's license, stood up straight, and stiffly walked back to his car.

Everyone's shoulders slumped in relief, but especially Mike's. He wouldn't have gotten away with a clean record without your help.

Castor was back on Bill's lap, and exasperation-grumpy-why-are-these-our-people flooded through your bond. You scratched behind his ear briefly before you climbed back over Eddie to the very back of the van.

"Cam boo fix by mose bow?" Stan asked, still holding his nose tightly.

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, had to deal with the cop first. It was a forgetfulness charm. He won't even remember what he was doing on this road five minutes from now."

"Then let's make sure we're nowhere near here in five minutes," Mike started up the car again and rejoined traffic, "No more picking up spiders, Richie! No more problems from any of you, got it?"

"Got it," everyone replied, monotonous. It was too big of a promise to make. The entire Losers Club knew it, Mike knew it, but damn it if Mike wasn't going to try to get us to behave anyway.

5 hours down. 12 more to go. Whether or not we'd make it without killing each other was yet to be seen. But I̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶b̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶d̶everything would end up alright. It was summer vacation, and I'd forbade anyone from dying before they could meet the Party. Your world had yet to collide.


	21. Áine

_"The world has bigger problems than boys who kiss boys and girls who kiss girls"_

🔮

**Chapter Twenty One - Áine**

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Áine is an Irish goddess of summer, wealth and sovereignty. She is associated with midsummer and the sun, and is sometimes represented by a red mare. She is the daughter of Egobail, the sister of Aillen and/or Fennen, and is claimed as an ancestor by multiple Irish families. As the goddess of love and fertility, she has command over crops and animals and is also associated with agriculture.

Summer was here.

That much was obvious. The Losers Club wouldn't be able to be in a car together for 18 hours if it wasn't. After the hell of a car ride (none of you would ever forgive Richie for the Spider Incident), Mike pulled up to your grandmother's house without much fanfare.

"Welcome!" I threw my arms out with a flourish, then dug through my backpack for the key to the house, "We'll probably have to do some cleaning. A little magic can help speed that up. After that, we can unpack and go meet the Party."

"We also need to buy food!" Ben called out.

"Oh, yeah. We should probably do that at some point. Tonight we can just do pizza if we want to, though. There's this one place here that has the _best_ crust!" I exclaimed, pulling my bags from the back of the van and whistling lightly to call Castor over.

"Who eats the crust?" Ben questioned, trailing behind me with his large duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Psychopaths," Bev giggled, "But that's the family I got adopted into, so I can't complain."

Unlocking and pushing open the front door, I beamed at the dusty hallway in front of me. All of the energy left behind by my grandmother seemed to surround me. The locket around my neck warmed up, reminding me that my ancestors were there.

"Oh my god. I can't go in there," Eddie took one step inside then turned around and went back out, "It's filthy! Do you know how many germs come from dust? Not to mention the dust mites! It's been months since this place was cleaned!"

"Whi-which is why it-it's our j-j-job to clean it," Bill's authoritative voice broke through Eddie's panic, "We-we've cluh-cleaned worse."

Everyone simultaneously shuddered at the reminder of Bev's bloody bathroom last summer. Huh. Pennywise was really only a year ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed since the Losers had formed and defeated the eldritch haunting Derry.

"(Y/n), are there still cleaning supplies here?" Mike asked.

"Some. We might need to run to the store to get some sprays though, I think we threw them all out when we went through the house last Halloween."

Mike nodded, "Bill and I can run out and grab some stuff, then."

"If we order the pizza now then they can pick it up on the way back," Ben added.

"Ben, you genius," I smiled, "I'll call the pizza place. Just give me a minute before you two leave so I can tell you where it is."

The universe was working in my favor. As soon as I stepped up to the phone to order the pizza, it began to ring. Humming quietly in confusion, I answered.

"Hello?"

_"(Y/n)?"_

"Will! Hey!"

_"You're in Derry, good. I wasn't sure if you'd be here yet."_

"We pulled in around ten minutes ago. What's up?"

 _"I'm at Mike's right now. Apparently, El dumped Mike and he's all upset about it,"_ Will was upset about it too if the tone of his voice was anything to go by, _"Tomorrow morning I want to do something DnD related, just The Party to get his mind off it. All this girl talk is tiring."_

"So you're inviting a girl over to stop it?" I asked teasingly, "I'll be there tomorrow morning so we can play for a few hours. It'll get me out of cleaning the house. But tomorrow afternoon I want everyone to meet up so you can meet the Losers, alright?"

_"Yeah, sure. I'll see you tomorrow morning."_

Ending the call with Will, I dialed up the pizza place and told them my order. Knowing it was going to be ready around the time Bill and Mike finished shopping, you wrote down the address of the pizza place for them and stuck it in the pocket of Bev's oversized leather jacket - which was currently keeping Mike warm.

"It's unfair that Mike and Bill get to leave and we're stuck cleaning this shithole!" Richie complained loudly after the two adults of the group left.

"This _shithole_ was my grandma's house, let's remember. There's still magic ingrained into it. So watch what you say, or the house might just take _offense_ ," I poked Richie's side as I passed, narrowly avoiding a punch as well, "Is your boyfriend still outside?"

"Yeah, refuses to come in until it's cleaner."

Rolling my eyes, I called Castor over and sent him out to make sure Eddie was okay. From the sense of _okay-funny-calming_ I got soon after Castor stepped outside, I figured Eddie would be willing to come inside in a few minutes.

"Let's focus on the kitchen and the living room for now. We'll need to wash all the sheets before we can sleep in the bedrooms, so we'll all sleepover in the living room tonight and then pick bedrooms tomorrow."

"Yes, sister dear," Bev practically sang, pulling out a broom and a mop from the cleaning closet. Even if we didn't have chemicals, there were still things we could pick up.

Finding a radio in storage, I tuned in to a local pop station and turned the volume up. It started with Bev, humming along to the song and bobbing her head. Then she looked to Ben mischievously. She reached out and grabbed his hand, twirling him twice.

"You can't start a fire," I sent Stan a look, and he slowly shook his head, "You can't start a fire without a spark."

"This gun's for hire!" For a Trashmouth, Richie's voice was surprisingly good all things considered.

"Come on, Stan!" I dropped my broom and pulled him close to me, giggling when he nearly knocked us over, "Let's live a little! We survived the car ride!"

"After Bev nearly broke my nose," Stan grumbled, but he had a shit-eating grin on his face as we danced around the living room.

Eddie had stepped inside when the music began, and he was soon pulled into a horrendous version of the tango by Richie. Bev and Ben were still twirling each other around, and you and Stan were actually attempting to dance.

"We should be cleaning," Stan told me when the song switched and all six of us continued to dance.

Leaning in, I whispered, "I have a spell that can animate most of the cleaning supplies and have them clean for us while we eat dinner."

"Why didn't you just start out with that?"

"Because I like watching my friends suffer," I giggled, laughing slightly harder at the alarmed look that came over Stan's face, "Not you though. You aren't my friend."

"Because I'm your boyfriend?" I nodded, "That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."

"You love it," you leaned up and pecked his lips.

Eventually, everyone focused a bit more on cleaning and actually got to work - though there were occasional dance breaks if a good song came on. By the time Bill and Mike came through the door with their hands full of pizza and grocery bags, the living room and kitchen were clean and ready for use.

"Wow, I thought all of you would burn the place down," Mike set down the pizza boxes.

"Witches don't like fire all that much," I smiled, pulling the box open and taking the first slice.

"Hey! Pluh-plates," Bill forced a paper plate into your hand and I pouted.

After everyone got at least two slices of pizza on their plates (yes, thank you Bill), we all sat down in the living room since the dining room table didn't have enough chairs for 8 people.

"Will invited me over for a Party thing tomorrow morning. I figured tomorrow night everyone could get to know each other."

"I see how it is," Richie poked an accusatory finger in your direction, "You just want to get out of cleaning the rest of the house!"

"I'm terrified to leave you alone here," you laughed, "Castor is officially in charge tomorrow."

 _Amused-happy-content_ , passed through your bond with Castor. He had gone out hunting in the backyard earlier and was thoroughly exhausted. Only having three legs meant using more energy for simple things.

"What! Not even me? I'm your darling sister! This is technically my grandma's house too!" Bev let out a gasp of indignation.

"You never met her," I rolled my eyes, smiling, "You would have gotten along though. She was feisty when she was younger."

That night, the losers piled up their clean blankets and pillows on the living room floor. Limbs intertwined throughout the group, everyone snuggled under several blankets. There was no such thing as personal space within the club (unless someone was having a bad day that required space, not comfort). Through trauma-bonding and the magic of being a Circle, boundaries were practically non-existent.

With Stan's arm wrapped around my shoulders, I let out a sigh of contentment and laid my head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. It would be a good summer. Nothing could be worse than last year.

~*~

The next morning I quickly ate the breakfast Ben made and said bye to everyone before grabbing my old bike from the garage and taking off down the street. Everyone was at Mike's so that was where you'd be spending your morning.

"Oh, (Y/n)! You're back in Derry for the summer?" Mrs. Wheeler asked kindly when I knocked on the front door.

"I am! I brought some friends with me this time, But I'd thought I'd surprise Mike and them before introducing them to everyone."

"All of them are downstairs. They might still be sleeping. They haven't come up for breakfast."

"Got it. Thanks Mrs. Wheeler."

Quietly going down the stairs to the basement, Will greeted me in a full cosplay of Will the Wise. Grinning, I waved my hands over my body and transfigured my clothes into something much more fitting for my DnD character.

"I'm glad you're here," Will gave me a brief hug, "I can't handle all the girl talk anymore."

"Well, I'll talk about Stan a bit then," I joked, looking at Lucas and Mike passed out on the couches, "Where's Dustin?"

"Busy. He was going to visit Steve at the mall today. Anyway, are you ready?" Will pulled out a boombox and turned up the volume before he pressed play on the cassette player.

Loud medieval music came from the speaker. Both Lucas and Mike jerked up, snack wrappers falling from their bodies.

"What are you doing?"

"Yeah, Will, can you turn down the music?"

"I'm here too!" I chirped, drawing their attention to me.

"(Y/n)?" Mike rubbed his tired eyes, "When did you get here?"

"Last night."

"Cool, cool. Still, Will you gotta turn the music down."

"Please address me by my full name."

"What?"

"My full name!"

"Oh, my God. Okay, Will the Wise, can you please turn down the music?"

"That is not music. That... is the sound of destiny!" I snorted behind my hand, quickly recovering and getting back into character, "I have seen into the future, and I've seen that today is a new day, a day free of girls!"

"Minus your favorite!" I beamed.

"What is happening right now?"

"Will, come on."

"A tribe of villagers are under threat from an evil force from the swamps of Kuzatan."

Mike complained, "Will, it's so early!"

"It's nearly noon, Wheeler. Now pull yourself together and let's save those villagers!" I clapped twice, ready to play DnD with (most of) my friends, "Let's save these innocent people before they're all slaughtered!"

"Can I at least take a shower first?"

Twenty minutes later the group was sitting at our original DnD table. The music still played in the background, but much more quietly since the boys were already awake.

Thunder rumbled lightly outside, and Will took the chance to add it into our current campaign, "Do you guys hear that? It sounds like thunder. But, no, wait. That's not thunder. It's... a horde of juju zombies! Sir Mike, your action."

"What should I do?"

"Attack?"

"Okay. I attack with my flail," Mike rolled the dice unenthusiastically.

"Whoosh! You miss. Your flail clanks the stone, the zombie horde lumbers towards you, and the juju bites your arm. Flesh tears! Seven points of damage."

Mike was obviously not into it, "Oh, no, my arm. Lucas, look, my arm."

Lucas snickered.

"Sir Lucas, the zombie horde roars! Do you fight back or do you run?"

The basement phone rang. Lucas and Mike's heads whipped toward it.

"No! It's a distraction! A trap. Do not answer it," Mike and Lucas sprung up, Mike reaching the phone first, "What! No!"

"El? Huh? Oh, (Y/n) it's for you."

Sending Will an apologetic look, you took the phone from Mike. Eddie was on the other-side, halfway to hysterical.

"Eddie? What's up?"

 _"So, there was a box under the bed in one of the bedrooms-"_ behind me, I could hear Will, Mike, and Lucas bickering, _"And apparently Richie the_ ** _dumbass_** _thought it'd be a good idea to open it. And a bunch of powder flew into his face. Is he going to die?"_

"What bedroom was it?"

_"Yours I think. The one with the blue curtains?"_

"Oh, Richie will be fine I think."

_"You think?"_

"I had a spirit jar in there. It must have broken open at some point. I'll give him a cleanse when I get home so no spirits latch onto him."

_"I'm going to throw up..."_

"You do that. I'll be back later."

Hanging up, I turned back to the Party. Things were not going great. Will had taken off his Will the Wise cosplay and was packing his bag.

"Will?"

"I'm going home," Will stepped past me and took the stairs two at a time.

"Will!" Mike and I charged up the stairs after him.

"Will, come on," we stepped outside into the rain, protected by the garage door, "You can't leave. It's raining. Listen, I said I was sorry, all right? It's a cool campaign. It's really cool. We're just not in the mood right now."

"Yeah, Mike. That's the problem. You guys are never in the mood anymore. You're ruining our party."

"That's not true."

"Really? Where's Dustin right now?" Mike's hesitation was all Will needed to continue, "See? You don't know and you don't even care. And obviously, he doesn't either and I don't blame him. You're destroying everything, and for what? So you can swap spit with some stupid girl?"

"El's not stupid. It's not my fault you don't like girls!"

Biting my tongue to hold back a gasp, I stepped in between Mike and Will, "That's enough, Wheeler."

"What? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but what did he expect? Did he think we'd never get girlfriends and we'd stay in the basement playing DnD all the time? You moved away and you have a boyfriend too. What's so different?"

"The difference is that I still care about my friends," I snapped, pulling out my bike, "Come on, Will. You can meet the Losers Club first."

Casting a quick charm over both of us to keep us dry in the rain, we pedaled away from Mike's house. When we were on the street I took the lead, even though Will knew where my grandma's house was.

Pulling up in the driveway ten minutes later, the garage door opened for us. Storing our bikes in there, I towed off my shoes and sent Will a reassuring smile before stepping inside.

"That is a hate crime, Bev! I can't believe you would say that to me and my precious boyfriend!"

"Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw, Richie. Are you telling me that you're capable of having feelings for someone else?"

"We've been dating for months, asshole!"

"Eddie, that was unnecessary."

"Sorry, Mike."

Clearing my throat, the Losers Club stopped trying to kill each other and turned all at once to face me and Will. Looking to see what Will's reaction was to the madness, you followed his eyes to where Richie and Eddie were holding hands.

"Oh," Will whispered quietly, "That's okay here?"

Something in the Losers Club's hearts shattered, and Richie and Eddie were the first ones to rush forward and pull Will away from the garage door and closer to the group.

"We're the Losers Club. I'm Richie 'Trashmouth' Tozier, and this is the love of my life Eddie Spaghetti."

"My name is Eddie Kaspbrak, actually."

"Seems you're a bit on the spectrum too, aye mate?" Richie pulled out his Australian accent for that, swinging an arm around Will's shoulders and pulling him close, "Well we couldn't give a shit about any of that here. As it implies in the name, we're all losers and misfits!"

"You're gonna scare him off before he can meet anyone else," I pulled Will away from Richie.

"No, it's... it's okay," Will smiled, his aura brightening considerably, "I think Richie is funny."

The entire Losers Club groaned while Richie looked like he just won a Nobel Peace Prize.

"He looks really similar to Mike, you see it too right?" Will asked you quietly while Richie was distracted telling Eddie how funny and amazing he was.

"Yeah, I think it's a magical phenomenon since I'm connected to both of them. Don't worry about it too much. You'll figure out that they're _really_ different people."

"Mike isn't gay. He's swapping spit with El," Will said bitterly.

Oh. Oh! A lot of things made a lot more sense now. Looping my arm through Will's, I guided him over to the rest of the group, "Will Byers, it's time to introduce you to the weirdest, best group of people you'll ever meet."


	22. Baba Yaga

_"Every summer has a story"_

🔮

**Chapter Twenty Two - Baba Yaga**

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Baba Yaga, in Slavic folklore, is an ogress who steals, cooks, and eats her victims, usually children. A guardian of the fountains of the water of life, she lives with two or three sisters (all known as Baba Yaga) in a forest hut that spins continually on birds' legs. Her fence is topped with human skulls. Baba Yaga can ride through the air—in an iron kettle or in a mortar that she drives with a pestle—creating tempests as she goes. She often accompanies Death on his travels, devouring newly released souls.

Baba Yaga was a real witch. Of course, there was no cottage with chicken legs or fence with human skulls, but there was dark magic within her. Dark magic that she used to try to communicate with death itself. For some reason, the idea of communicating with Death was amusing to me when I researched her story. Why would Death communicate with magicals? ~~With me?~~

What really brought Baba Yaga to my mind was the fact that it was a Slavic tale - a Russian one.

You see, after Will met the Losers Club all of us decided to spend the rest of the night together relaxing. It was pouring outside and Mike and Ben were excited to make warm food for everyone with the groceries Bill and them had bought. Richie and Eddie had brought a ton of movies along with them, so we all went through and chose one of those to watch.

The night was nice, and Richie, Eddie, and Will talked quietly early into the morning. The rest of the group wasn't too bothered that they broke off, too busy chatting about everything we wanted to do in Hawkins this summer. I figured that whatever Richie and Eddie were talking to Will about was making him feel better if his small smile was anything to go by.

When everyone woke up the next morning, groggy from staying up so late, there was an excited energy hanging in the air - despite everything that happened the day before. The Losers Club worked as a unit, switching between changing, the bathrooms, and making food. Will observed in the background, eyes wide in what must have been awe.

"We're used to taking care of each other," I explained quietly as I set a plate of food in front of him, "We don't stay together all at once that often, but that doesn't mean we aren't in sync. There's a little magic at play there too."

"It's just weird, I mean Bill tripped in the bathroom and Bev caught him like she knew it was coming. There's a plate of food ready for every person as soon as they come down," Will commented, digging into his scrambled eggs and toast.

"Ac-according to (Y/n), we-we're a cir-cir-circle," Bill sat down next to me.

"A Circle?"

"It's a magic thing," Ben expanded, "Basically like platonic soulmates. Super rare, but that's what we are. It helps us stay connected."

I flinched. Bringing up the Circle around the Party was something I wanted to do gently. I didn't know how they'd react, knowing I'd found friends I was cosmically connected to. I was scared they'd think that they weren't good friends if they weren't my Circle and the Losers were.

"Oh! Well, that's really cool. Can you read each other's minds or anything?"

Sweet relief flooded through me. Of _course_ Will wouldn't be upset. Not outwardly at least, but even then I couldn't see him attempting to hide any negative emotions. He was genuinely curious about how our dynamic worked.

"Oh my god, can we read each other's minds?" Richie slammed his glass of orange down, nearly spilling it, "That'd be so fucking cool!"

"No, we can't read each other's minds. At most, we could probably sense when the rest of the group is in danger. Overall it's just like... like a blood pact almost. We're never going to be able to leave each other fully."

"Must be nice, having that kind of reassurance," Will's face fell slightly.

This was when Bev "kick-ass" Talbot joined the group. She rapidly shoved food into her mouth, finishing her plate in record time. The entire group stared at her silently, sensing that she had important things to do. Finally, she slammed her silverware down on the table and looked up at Will - her eyes burning with fire.

"Here's what we're going to do. We're going to go with you to talk to your friends. We're going to support you, and you're going to spill all of the shit you're holding in so you don't explode with it. Got it?"

Will, overwhelmed with the sudden show of (rather aggressive) support, simply nodded with wide eyes.

"You need to stop home for a change of clothes first, though," Eddie cut in, "It'd be unsanitary to wear those again."

"We can take the van over and put your bike in the back," Ben offered, "I'm sure we can squeeze all of us in."

"I actually wanted to go see Dustin today. He wasn't with the Party yesterday so I thought I'd track him down."

"I'll go with you," Stan and Bill said in unison.

"All of us can meet back up here tonight then," Richie concluded, "Maybe with the Party if half of them stop being assholes."

"We need to track down El and Max at some point too," Bev added, tugging on the flannel Bill was wearing. He rolled his eyes and pulled it off, allowing Bev to wear it over her tank top, "I want to meet the other badass women here."

"If everything is settled by this afternoon we can do that then," standing from your seat, you put your plate in the sink and pulled out a handful of change from the jar on the counter, "Here, if you rub this coin twice then it'll warm the others. If you say a word or two it'll show up on the others. That way we'll know what's going on."

"New spell?" Stan asked when you handed him a quarter.

"Yeah, I found it in one of the family grimoires. It was how witches warned each other of witch hunters in the past."

When everyone finished with breakfast, the Artifacts of the Circle were passed out as shows of reassurance, and we all went our separate ways. Castor was left to roam free around the yard, after being in the car all day the day before you thought he'd like to run around.

Will, Bev, Mike, Richie, Eddie, and Ben took the van to Wheeler's house so they could all meet him and hopefully some of the other Party. I made a quick call to Dustin's house and found out from his mom that he had been visiting Steve at Scoops Ahoy at the new mall. So that was our destination.

Stan, Bill, and I took the bus to the mall, marveling at the size of it. We'd be shocked if anything like that _ever_ showed up in Derry. Derry just gave off the vibe that nothing would ever change- like it was stuck in time.

The inside of the mall was even weirder. It wasn't a small convenience store, it was tons of small convenience stores with a modern twist.

"We're gonna spend all of our money here, aren't we?" I asked the pair of boys behind me, who nodded. Eyes trailing around the mall, you spotted Scoops Ahoy on the second level. Nudging the boys, you pointed it out, "Dustin and Steve should be there."

Taking the escalator (an escalator! I didn't even know those existed) up to the second floor, all three of us stepped into the little ice cream shop to find Dustin and Steve behind the counter, bickering about something or another.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if I could sample some ice cream?" I stepped up to the counter with a broad smile.

"Yeah, yeah, just give me a sec to- (Y/n)!"

"(Y/n)?" Dustin's head snapped over to face me, "Oh my god! (Y/n)!" Dustin practically dove through the half door to hug me, "I've needed some sanity."

Snorting, I hugged Dustin back tightly, "You're not going to get that from me. I can't wait to catch up, but first, you should meet two of my friends. Stan Uris and Bill Denbrough. They're two of the members of the Losers Club."

"Yeah, yeah. The leader and the boyfriend," Dustin nodded, waving at the pair, "You seem cool. Where's everyone else?"

"They went with Will to meet up with the rest of the Party. Why are you with Steve instead of with them, by the way? Hey Steve!"

"Hey."

"Well I was just gonna say hi but then we sort of got dragged into a conspiracy."

That intrigued all of us, "A conspiracy?"

"Russians. In Hawkins. We heard their transmission over the radio - it was some sort of code. Then we translated it and found out they have this whole secret place in the mall. Robin just left to get something that will apparently help."

Nodding slowly, you tried to process all the information that was just thrust upon you. Russians in Hawkins, because there was no such thing as a normal summer anymore.

"We can help if you want. I'm sure that- ack!" Stumbling back when Stan tugged on the collar of my shirt, I was unceremoniously pulled into a circle with him and Bill.

"Are you crazy?" Stan hissed, "We came here to have a fun summer away from weird shit. And now you want to go out and fight against some _Russians_?"

"We-we don't even ha-have the rest uh-of the gruh-group," Bill added.

"Listen, either we help them and most likely keep them alive, or they do it by themselves and end up dying. This isn't It," everyone flinched, "Or the Demo-dogs, this is just real people. We've survived worse. We'll go with them to sate their curiosity and that's that."

Stan and Bill still seemed hesitant. They shared a look and I knew they were silently conversing if their facial expressions were anything to go by. Finally, Stan huffed and Bill turned back to me.

"We'll do it."

"Good. Stan, you can use the coin to let the rest of the group know. Say Russians and mall or something, just so they know where we are."

Nodding, Stan pulled his quarter out of his pocket while I walked back up to the counter to talk to Dustin and Steve.

"We'll help. How trustworthy is Robin?"

"Why?" I sent Steve an unimpressed look, "Oh, right! The witchy stuff."

"She won't tell anyone," Dustin cut in, "She's cool. I promise."

Shrugging, I sighed, "Awesome. It's not like I haven't broken one of our most sacred rules a dozen times already. If she won't spill then I can help with more magic too."

After ordering single scoops of ice cream, our portion of the Losers Club waited in the backroom for Robin to come back. A solid ten minutes later she bustled in, a large piece of paper in her hands.

"Who are they?" She asked Steve and Dustin, pointing at us.

"Stan, Bill, and (Y/n). (Y/n) used to live here. She visits during the summer- they're all gonna help us."

"Sweet," Robin spread out the paper, not bothering to push the topic further, "It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office. Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."

"Not bad," Dustin complimented.

Robin pointed at a specific spot, "So, this is us, Scoops, and this is where we want to get."

"I mean, I don't really see a way in."

"There's not," Robin pulled away the first layer of paper to reveal a second, "If you're talking exclusively about doors."

"Air ducts."

"Exactly. Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room. And these air ducts lead all the way there."

Everyone's gaze trailed to the vent in the break room. Steve went for a step stool and a screwdriver in one of the junk drawers and pulled the cover off.

"Flashlight?" Dustin went over to his backpack in the corner and pulled one out, handing it to Steve, "Thank you." Steve peeked inside, "Yeah, I don't know, man. I don't know if you can fit in here. It's, like... super tight."

"I'll fit," Dustin stated determinedly, "Trust me. No collar bones, remember?"

"W-what?" Bill questioned.

"Oh, he's, uh... Yeah, he's got some disease. Chry, uh... It's chrydo, um... Something. Yeah, I dunno. He's missing bones and stuff. He can bend like Gumbo."

"You mean Gumby."

"I'm pretty sure it's Gumbo."

"Steve, just shut up and push me!" Steve stepped up behind Dustin and pushed his feet forward, "Not my feet, dumbass. Push my ass."

"What?"

"Touch my butt! I don't care! Come on! Harder! Push harder!"

"I'm pushing!"

"You're playing with my legs."

"I'm not playing, I have terrible footing."

"Oh my god this is hopeless," I pinched the bridge of my nose, "He's never gonna fit. And none of us are any smaller."

"But Eddie is," Stan mumbled.

Eyes widening, you pulled your own coin from your pocket and rubbed it twice, whispering, "Eddie come." A few seconds later and _Why_ popped up on your coin, "Need small." Another few seconds and a _Bitch_ later, and you just had to have faith that Eddie was on his way to the mall.

"We have someone on the way who'll fit," Stan called out to Steve and Dustin, who were still trying to get him into the vent, "He's on his way."

"Oh thank god," Steve sighed in relief, pulling on Dustin's legs to help him out of the vent.

Another twenty minutes and Eddie walked into Scoops Ahoy. Waving him into the back room, his eyes immediately went to the vent and he rapidly shook his head.

"No, no. You're fucking crazy if you think I'm gonna go in there."

"Eddie, we need someone small enough-"

"I'm not gonna do it! The vent could collapse, or the air could stop circulating correctly, or... or it could be just like the sewers."

"Pennywise is dead-"

"How do you know that?" Eddie snapped, "It hasn't been 27 years, has it? Even if he's dead, this is Hawkins. You had to deal with all kinds of shit last year! What if this is part of that?"

"Then we'll face it together, just like last time," Bill's voice was firm and sure, no hint of hesitation there, "We won't let anything happen to you, Eddie."

The four members of the Losers Club stepped closer together, all touching in some way and subconsciously garnering support from the contact.

Sucking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Eddie glanced up at the vent again, "I'll need a headlamp and knee pads for the metal."

"Done, I'll go grab them from my back. We can tape two flashlights to my helmet," Robin flitted out the door.

"Thanks for doing this, man. I'm Dustin," Dustin held out his hand to shake, and Eddie looked down at it.

"Kissing would spread fewer germs than a handshake," Eddie deadpanned.

"I'm not gonna kiss you," Steve and Dustin stated in unison.

When Eddie was all geared up and ready to crawl through the vents, we went over the path with him on the blueprints. When he had it memorized, Robin and Steve closed down the shop for the day and led us to the rooftop overlooking the secret room they wanted to get into.

"Eddie, do you copy?" Robin asked into the walkie-talkie.

_"I copy. Are you ready?"_

"Yeah, we're ready. It's all quiet here, so you've got the green light."

_"Got it. Commence Operation Child Endangerment."_

Stan chuckled from next to me, and we shared nervous smiles. Everything would be fine. All Eddie had to do was crawl through some vents and open the door. Then Robin, Steve, and Dustin could look at the boxes and sate their curiosity and move on with their lives.

The line fell silent for several painstaking minutes. Our entire group simply stared at the metal doors, waiting for either them to slide open or for Eddie to radio in again.

_"I'm looking into the room."_

"Do you- Do you see anything?"

_"I see those boxes you were talking about."_

"Any guards?"

_"Nada."_

"Booby traps?"

_"If I could see them then they'd be pretty shit traps."_

The line fell silent again, and I assumed Eddie was jumping into the room. A few seconds later, the metal doors screeched and opened. Out came Eddie.

"I'm never doing anything like that again!"

The group on the rooftop cheered, racing each other to climb down and sprint into the secret room. Everyone crowded around one of the boxes. Steve easily found a box opener and cut through the tape, pulling apart the flaps to peek inside. It was a metal container.

_Wrong. Wrong Wrong. WRONG. WRONG._

My instincts suddenly screamed at me so harshly that I had to take a step away.

"You okay?" Stan asked.

"Something is wrong. _Everything_ is wrong."

"Well this doesn't look like Chinese food," Steve pulled out a container full of a glowing goop, "Is that what's setting you off."

"Yes. No. It's- has anyone heard from the others?" Eddie, Bill, and Stan shook their heads. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my coin and rubbed it twice, "You good?"

"Wuh-what's going on?" Bill asked.

"Something isn't right. About all of this."

"Well duh, there's Russians in Hawkins and they have radioactive material!" Dustin exclaimed.

"No, I mean Hawkins!" I nearly screamed, "I didn't notice before- but it feels like nothing changed from last year. The feeling is still here, it's just evolved into something different."

"What feeling?" Robin asked cautiously.

"Heavy, suffocating... evil," glancing down at my coin, I frowned, "All of them have a coin, _someone_ should have answered by now. We need to check on them."

The metal doors slid closed as the room shook. Steve rushed over to the control panel, "Eddie, what button do I push?"

"Open door."

"That's what I'm pushing and the door is still closed!"

"Well that's what I pushed to open them earlier!"

"Push some of the other buttons," Dustin moved over to the panel.

"I've done that too and none of them are working!"

Another metal door slid down over the first batch. The room shook again and then fell. Stumbling and falling to the floor, you swore under your breath.

"It's an elevator!" Stan yelled.

"Oh shit."

**With The Others**

The group's first stop was Will's house, where he went inside to change clothes and call the Wheelers to see if Mike was there. He came running out a few minutes later with a backpack and a panicked look on his face.

"Mike and Lucas just called a code red. We need to meet at Mike's house. I'll give you directions."

"What does a code red normally mean?" Ben questioned as Mike pulled out of the driveway.

"Emergency, something big. Turn right up here."

The drive to Wheeler's house was somber. Their formerly excited mood had sobered at the prospect of an emergency concerning people they didn't really know. However, these people were some of (Y/n)'s closest friends and she wanted the two groups to meet and get along- so the Losers Club would help.

Pulling in and parking in the driveway, Will quickly introduced the group to Wheeler's mom and explained that (Y/n) was picking up Dustin and that they'd be out her hair soon to spend the day outside together. Karen Wheeler wasn't too bothered by it and ushered the teens down to the basement.

"Who are they?" Wheeler asked defensively when the group of 6 walked down the steps.

"The Losers Club."

"Losers?" El asked from her place on the floor.

"(Y/n)'s new friends?" Lucas assumed.

"Yeah. She went to go get Dustin. We were on our way to find you guys anyway to introduce ourselves, figured this was as good a time as any," Bev shrugged as if the entire situation was casual.

"You can't be here," Wheeler shook his head, "This is supposed to be a private-"

"They know about everything already," Will cut in, "Just like how we know everything about them."

"Equal exchange," Ben shrugged.

"Mike?" El's eyes honed in on Richie, who sent the girl a flirtatious smile that earned him a smack on the arm from Eddie.

"Nah, that's Mike," Richie jerked his thumb toward Mike, who waved, "I'm Richie. This is Eddie, and that's Bev and Ben. I'm also way more handsome than your Mike over there."

"Hey!"

"We're here to talk about what's going on with Billy," Max cut in before an argument could start, "Will, El, and I think he was possessed by the Mind Flayer."

Flinching, Will took a seat. The rest of the Losers followed his lead.

"How do you know?"

"I had a vision. He drowned someone- Heather."

"But when we went to her house she was fine. She and Billy were both acting completely normal."

"Then why do you think he's possessed."

"Feel it. Like you," El stated with a knowing gaze.

"You're still feeling things?" Wheeler looked at Will in shock, "I thought we got the Mind Flayer out of you last summer."

Bev spoke up then, "Residual energy," at everyone's confused looks she shrugged, "What? I live with a bunch of magicals, I've picked up on stuff. Usually residual energy is what causes ghosts, but my guess is that's what's happening to you. The Mind Flayer is gone, but he was in you so long that you just changed overall because of it."

Will nodded in understanding, "That would make sense. I still get this feeling sometimes, like when your stomach drops on a roller coaster. The first night I felt it was at Day of the Dead."

"The power went out that night."

"Yeah, and then I felt it on the hill at the field near the Nelson farm the next day. And then again yesterday, when I was riding home with (Y/n). I always felt it when he was near last summer, and this is just like that."

"I closed gate."

"You did, but what about the part that was in me? That wasn't with the rest of the Mind Flayer when you closed the gate. It could still be in our world."

Something about that concept didn't sit right with the Losers Club. They all thought of a certain dancing clown, who slid down a well and hasn't been seen since. They beat him, but they didn't see him die.

"And it'd attach itself to a new host," Max whispered, "Like Billy."

"We need to assume the worst," Wheeler nodded, "We need to see. Where is he?"

"At the pool, he's working."

"Then let's go."

The group broke apart and went out the back door to get their bikes. The Losers Club and Will went back out to the van. Will could have ridden his bike to the pool, but the Losers had no idea where that was and still needed directions.

"Someone just messaged on the coin," Ben reported, "You missed one at the meeting that said Russia and Mall."

"Weird, but okay. What does this one say?" Richie asked.

"Eddie come."

"Ask why."

Ben did, and got an answer almost immediately, "Need small."

Practically ripping his nickel out of his fanny pack, Eddie rubbed it twice and hissed, "Bitch," into his, huffing and puffing after like he'd run a marathon.

"Feel better?" Richie asked teasingly.

"Shut up."

"The mall is on the way to the pool, we can stop there," Will supplied.

"Good. Eddie, you can let the three of them know what's going on," Mike ordered.

"Got it."

So the group dropped Eddie off, trusting he would tell the trio what was happening and all of them could meet up soon to work things out (they didn't realize Eddie quickly forgot about their meeting with the Party due to crawling in a vent).

Parking at the pool, the group spotted the rest of the party waving at them by a cluster of bushes just outside the fence. Rolling their eyes at the lack of subtlety, the group hurried over and hid with the others.

"I don't know. He looks pretty normal to me," Max had a pair of binoculars held up to her eyes, pointed at her step-brother.

"Normal? How many times have you seen him with a shirt on?" Lucas raised a brow.

"I mean it's a little weird."

"More than a little. He was in a tub with ice. The Mind Flayer likes it cold."

"If he likes it cold then maybe that's why he's covered up? To hide from the sun?" Ben suggested.

"But he's lounging at the pool, which is, like, the least Mind Flayer thing ever."

Will shook his head, "Not necessarily. The Mind Flayer likes to hide. He only used me when he needed me. It's like... like you're dormant. And then, when he needs you, you're activated."

"So we just wait until he activates and hurts someone?" Richie asked rhetorically, "That's a shit plan."

"Richie is right, we can't take that chance. We need to find out if he's the host." Wheeler suddenly perked up and took off toward the pool.

"Where are you going?"

"I have an idea. Boys only."

"Seriously?"

"Just trust me on this one."

Shrugging, Mike, Ben, and Richie went along with Wheeler, Lucas, and Will. Wheeler led them all into the Men's bathroom.

"Okay, so we wait until the pool closes, until everyone leaves, and we somehow get him to come from here and..." Wheeler paused in front of the sauna door, pulling it open, "get him into here."

"Hey, shut the door!"

"Hey, come on, kid, shut it!"

The boys grimaced at the sight of the half-naked men in the sauna, and Wheeler quickly pulled the door shut.

"I think I just threw up in my mouth."

"And look, the controls are right here. It's perfect," Wheeler added.

"Will it get hot enough?"

"220 degrees."

"We just have to figure out how to get him in here."

"Then we lock him in-"

"Heat him up-"

"No matter what happens, we'll know. We'll know for sure."

~*~

It took almost all afternoon for the group to come up with a plausible plan. Even then, they all had to be careful when it came to moving things around so they weren't seen as suspicious. But, the groups worked well together and it showed in their ideas.

"Uh, Will?" Lucas asked nervously when he, Will, and Richie were gathering supplies.

"Um, you know, about yesterday-"

"It's fine, Lucas. You don't have to say anything."

Richie cleared his throat loudly and sent Will a look that Lucas couldn't decipher. Will nodded, sighed, and turned back to his friend.

"I feel like I missed a lot of time these past two years, because of all the Upside Down stuff. So the fact that everyone is so obviously growing up when I never really got to is... weird. And Mike and El and you and Max- when Mike chased me outside, he said that it wasn't his fault that I don't like girls. And he's right about both things. It's not his fault, and I don't... like girls. I've been figuring that out, and I took it out on you two."

It took Lucas a few seconds to figure out what Will meant, but then his eyes widened in realization, "Oh. Oh! That's cool man. I mean, we were still jerks and I _am_ sorry about that, we should have been more willing to listen. But I don't care if you don't like girls. That's your thing, not mine."

When they left the room with the things they needed, Lucas and Will looked like there was a weight off their shoulders - Richie was simply beaming with pride.

~*~

Hours later, when the pool finally closed and night had fallen, Billy made his way into the men's room and stepped into the shower. That was when the two group's hard planning went into action. While the others readied to lock Billy in the sauna, Mike was flitting around the locker room mocking Billy to actually get him in the room.

Finally, Billy fell for the trap and went into the sauna. El incapacitated him and the others sprinted in, Mike putting a pipe in the door and Wheeler wrapping the chains around it.

"Max," Billy's eyes trailed to his step-sister, his struggling stopping.

"Do it," Max ordered, no hesitation.

As the temperature went up, Billy began to panic again- resuming his struggle to escape the room. The entire Losers Club stuck together, all of them fighting memories of their nightmares in the sewers and around Derry.

"Max! Let me out of here! Let me out. You kids... You think this is funny? You kids think this is some kind of sick prank, huh? You little shits think this is funny? What is this? Open the door. Open the door! Open the door! Open the goddamn door!"

"We're at 220," Ben reported, checking the thermometer.

Billy's face disappeared from the window as he sat on the floor. All fell quiet for a few painstaking seconds before sobs filled the room. Max slowly walked toward the door, peeking inside.

"It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault, Max. I promise you, it's not my fault."

"What's not your fault, Billy?"

"I've done things, Max. Really bad things. I didn't mean to. He made me do it."

"Who made you do it?"

"I don't know, it's like a shadow. Like a giant shadow. Please, Max."

"What did he make you do?"

"What did he make you do?"

"It's not my fault, okay? Max, please. Please, believe me, Max, it's not my fault. I tried to stop him, okay? I did. Please believe me, Max. Please believe me."

"Billy, it's gonna be okay."

Bev was suddenly reminded of her father. Of the man she killed. Of the deadbeat dad that would hurt her, then cry and beg for her forgiveness. Bile rose in the girl's throat, as she gripped her bat (the same one Richie used to smash Pennywise's face in) just a little tighter.

"Max please."

"It's gonna be okay. We want to help you. We want to help you. You just have to talk to us, okay? You have to talk to us. I believe you, Billy. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

"I feel him," Will whispered, "He's activated. Max get away from the door."

"What?"

"Get away from the door!" Bev surged forward and pulled her new friend aside just as Billy's arm broke through, wielding a sharp piece of the ceramic wall.

"Let me out, you bitch! Let me out! I'll fucking gut you! Let me out!" Billy pulled the metal bar from the door, leaving the chain.

Lucas, armed with a wrist rocket, expertly shot a large rock at Billy's head- knocking him over. The lights flickered repeatedly. The Losers all swallowed, fighting against their own demons and panic. It was hard to remember this wasn't It when everything was so similar.

Billy slammed against the door, rattling the chain. Another slam and the group wasn't as sure about the chain anymore.

"He can't get out, can he?"

"No way. No way."

Billy _roared_ and snapped the pipe holding the chain off the wall. He burst through the door, and the group screamed. Stepping forward, El used her telekinesis to throw a heavy weight against Billy, trapping him against the wall. It was El's powers against Billy's strength, and Billy won. El barely ducked under the weight in time as it was thrown at her. Billy grabbed her by her hair, then her throat.

Silently, as if still in shock, Richie slowly took the bat from Bev's limp hand. They shared a look, a rapid-fire silent conversation occurring. Bev nodded once, and Richie pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"Beep beep motherfucker!" Richie screamed, sprinting forward and slamming the bat down _hard_ on Billy's forearm.

The man screamed and dropped El. Richie was quick to grab her arm and drag her away. Using both of her hands, El lifted Billy into the air. The two of them screamed at each other, and without warning, El threw Billy through the brick wall.

"Holy shit!" Mike exclaimed.

The group stood in stunned silence as Billy stumbled to his feet and ran off into the night.

Feeling a warmth in her pocket, Bev reached in and pulled out her half-dollar coin. _You okay_ flitted across. After staring at it a moment, Bev pocketed it again. She didn't know how to answer in two words.


End file.
